Blank Canvas
by MissehKeehl
Summary: Matt hated what his life had turned into. He’d lost his parents, his home; everything. However, she always said: “When life goes bad and you draw a blank, you just have to color the fun back in”...And he’d always love her for that. MattxOC
1. One: Strange

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**Me: HAI THERE :D Misseh here, and this is my.....*counts fingers* FIFTH fanfic, and my second with an original OC. For those of you who read my other story, Artificial, this is the long awaited fanfic I promised, and I hope the transition from stories won't be too hard ^^' Please be kind and generous with reviews, and constructive criticism is always welcome. Also, for those who read my other stories, I have brought with me special guests to help me do my disclaimers....*smirk***

**Mello and Matt: GTFO.**

**Me: OH COME ON GUYS. It's been five stories, and for each one, I make you do the disclaimer. GET USED TO IT BY NOW.**

**Mello: HELL NO. You're nothing but a slave driver, AND YOU KNOW IT.**

**Matt: IT'S NOT RAEP IF YOU LIKE IT.**

**Me and Mello: ...............WUT?**

**Matt: I love you, too :D**

**Mello: He's probably just acting weird because he's overexcited he has his own story. Took long enough, too.**

**Me: YES, Matt needs some lovin' too xD In case anyone has not noticed, this will be a MattxOC fanfic, meaning if you're looking for MattxMello fanfics then-**

**Mello: YOU ARE ALL MONSTORS WITH TWISTED LITTLE MINDS.**

**Me: --then you came to the wrong place. AND DON'T BE MEAN, MELLO -_-**

**Matt: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters, but she does own the OC.**

**Me: THE-OC-WHOSE-NAME-SHALL-NOT-BE-SPOKEN-BECAUSE-I-DON'T-LIKE-SPOILERS-SO-BE-QUIET-MATT.**

**Mello: Many thanks also to Mayu_Koizumi, previously known as Broken_Glass_Walker, for letting Misseh use the whole Story Playlist idea. A more complete playlist is in the works as things go along, and will be available on Misseh's profile for those who are interested.**

**Me: FINAL NOTES- When I say the OC has short hair, think Haruhi Fujioka from Ouran High School Host Club. ^^ Enjoy the first chapter of Blank Canvas, and thank you :D  
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One: Strange

"_What a weirdo!"_

"_He won't talk to anyone…his only friends are those stupid games of his."_

"_Just an ugly little moron…what is he even doing in Wammy's anyway?"_

"_Loser!"_

"_Failure!"_

"_He's worthless."_

Matt huddled as far as his body would let him into a corner, separated from the rest of the children in the foyer of the orphanage. He shook as silent sobs overcame him; nickel-sized tears rolling down his rosy cheeks. He wiped them away on the sleeve of his striped shirt, using his free hand to pick up his DS. Flipping the device open, he buried his nose into the game, zoning out the cruel and harsh world around him.

_They don't care…no one does. Mom never did, and that's 'cause Dad beat her and me senseless until her heart just went stone cold. Now that they're gone, everyone here just finishes what he started; the hurting never stops._

Ignoring the redhead's presence in the corner, the children continued to spread gossip and slander, much to Mail's distress. He heaved a heavy sigh in frustration, breathing shaky as he stood up and dashed for the front door. Caretakers demanded to know where he was running to, but he only answered the maid dress-clad women with silence.

Once outside, he stomped the grounds, kicking up the colored leaves of fall from their neat piles on the grass. Anything that had a solid form felt his wrath; he kicked trees, the outer fence, and finally, he marched up to a bush near the corner of the orphanage; his final victim. Rearing his leg back, he gave a hard kick to the defenseless shrub, releasing his anger and frustration.

"_Ouch!" _the bush shrieked, making the boy jump back in complete shock.

"Y-You…._talked!" _he yelled accusingly, pointing a shaky finger at the bush. It rustled for a moment before a head of blue hair peeked out from the bush; two narrowed and cerulean eyes staring at the redheaded boy.

"I did not appreciate the kick, and neither did the bush," the person said, reaching a hand up and petting one of the plant's branches. Mail quirked an eyebrow, unsure of exactly how to respond.

"….S-Sorry for kicking you…I didn't know that these bushes were occupied by people."

"I don't _live _in a _bush, _dummy," the person retorted, getting up from a crouching position. Now standing, Mail could see the person to have very short and spiky blue hair, matching his eyes…or at least he thought the person looked like a he.

_Well, he sure dresses like a boy, _Mail observed as his new acquaintance brushed off his clothes. He wore a baggy sweater that revealed his collarbone with its boat-neck style. His shorts ended just above his knees, marking where what looked like knee-high stockings began. On his feet were blue rain boots that seemed two sizes too big.

"_Ahem," _the boy interrupted, snapping Mail's attention back to his face. "If you're done judging my fashion sense, please go away so I can go back to hiding in peace."

Mail sniffed, tilting his head to the side. "You're hiding in a bush? Why? From who?"

"You ask too many questions. If you'll excuse me, I have to go or I'm going to get caught by-"

"There you are!!" one of the caretakers yelled from the orphanage's porch. Mail recoiled as his companion dove face-first into the bush in a last ditch attempt to save himself. The caretaker stampeded her way towards the two children, reaching into the bush and pulling out the stowaway by the arm.

"You little brat; you're going inside _right now _to clean up that mess of yours," she commanded, yanking the writhing misfit out from the bush and towards the orphanage. Glancing back a final time, Mail's newfound companion pouted, but managed a defeated wave goodbye. The redhead stared back in shock for a few moments, disbelieving that he had been shown some act of _kindness _since he'd first arrived in Wammy's.

"……W-Wait! You can call me Matt, by the way!" he yelled out, waving his arms in the air frantically just as the caretaker and her unwilling cargo entered the orphanage.

Suddenly, Mail Jeevas—_Matt—_found himself in a better mood.

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_Blue hair…blue hair…short blue hair…_

Matt wandered the hallways of Wammy's, ignoring the stares and whispers best he could. It was two days after his awkward encounter with who he liked to call his "first friend", and it was this exact meeting that had been clouding his mind. He hadn't been able to concentrate; he _needed _to put a name to a face.

"Looking for someone?"

Matt spun on his heels, turning to face who had addressed him. Before him stood a girl in pigtails; one who he'd recognized was Wammy's famous artist Linda. Besides himself and other new arrivals, Linda was also a main topic of the Wammy grape vine.

_Yeah…but they only say __**good **__things about her…_

"Um…Hello? Do you need help, or are you just walking around all spaced out for no reason?"

"Sorry, I tend to do that a lot. Yeah, I could use help. I'm looking for someone."

Linda smiled brightly, her pigtails bouncing as she nodded eagerly. "Of course! I know practically everyone around here, so I could lead you to whoever you're looking for!"

"Thanks…Um, do you know anyone with short blue hair…with rain boots?"

Linda's smile faltered, bending downwards into a slight frown. "Yes…sadly."

Taking his wrist, Linda led Matt down the halls to an isolated part of the orphanage, deep within the South Wing. She stopped in front of one of the doors to a dorm; one completely different from the others. It looked as though paint was splattered against the wood, creating a rainbow of color amongst small scrawls and doodles etched into the frame.

Without bothering to knock, Linda turned the knob of the door, revealing just who they were searching for sprawled out on the floor and staring up at the ceiling. Cerulean eyes wandered to stare at the intruders in the room, and narrowed when they landed on Linda.

"….Piggy."

"Ice."

Matt's eyes darted from Linda to where his friend lay on the floor, confused at how they addressed each other. "Do you two have history or something?"

Linda shook her head, rolling her eyes at the notion. "Of course not! I have no problem; it's just that _she's _jealous because _I'm _a better artist than she could ever hope to be."

"Don't believe her lies! I'm better and she knows it. The only difference is that I just don't get as much recognition since I don't draw on paper, like Miss _Boring _over here!"

As the two began going at it, Matt held up his palms, motioning for silence. "W-Wait…I just have one thing to say…"

He turned away from Linda, inhaled deeply, and pointed a finger down at his blue-haired companion. "_You're a girl?!"_

Linda burst out laughing while the addressed girl blinked. Linda snorted, clutching her sides. "This is just _priceless! _He thought you were a _boy, _for God's sake!"

After finishing her laughter, Linda turned around, half-skipping out the doorway. "I'll leave you alone now. Bye, Matt," she cooed, slipping around the corner and out of sight. The air in the room grew tense as no one dared to speak. Nervously, after some time passed, Matt took a seat on the floor, shuffling his feet.

"…My name is Matt."

"Yeah, _I know_."

"Uh….I like games, and I'm pretty good at them, I guess…"

"You also kick bushes, and I must say from what I felt, you're pretty good at that, too."

Matt chuckled, giving a lopsided smile. "What about you?"

"Well…You went from thinking I was a talking plant to a boy, and now you found out I'm a girl, so…let's just say I'm a strange little creature; seven years into existence, just as you are. I draw on the walls, and you know you're jealous."

Matt managed a smile, picking at the frayed ends of his striped shirt. "W-When I first came here, I had to use an alias. What do I call you? Is your name Ice?"

"Nope…" The blue haired girl gave a Cheshire cat grin, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she held out her hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, stranger. Call me Fee."

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_"I'd like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly. It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep, 'cause everything is never as it seems..."** -**_"Fireflies" by Owl City.


	2. Two: Writing on the Wall

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**Me: *ahem* I'm going to let Mayu_Koizumi (formerly Broken_Glass_Walker, permanently Lexy [Would it be okay to call you that?? OwO] ) sum up my reaction for the reviews on chapter one:**

**Mayu_Koizumi: **"HOLY EFFING HELL. YOU ALREADY HAVE TWELVE REVIEWS AND THIS IS ONLY THE FIRST CHAPTER."

**Me: OSFOSJOSKNCIBCH YES, THAT WAS MY EXACT REACTION *implodes with joy* Really, this means so much, and I've only just started! I've recieved a lot of support and eager new readers, and it's also nice to see some familiar faces regarding reviewers from some of my other stories. I'm forever grateful you continue to follow up on this crap I call "fanfiction".**

**Mello: They should get paid, you know. Bullshitting is not as easy as you think. Just ask Matt.**

**Matt: That's right, it's an art form that requires--HEY I DO NOT BULLSHIT...._ladies~_**

**Me: LOLWUT? And by the way, MY REVIEWERS ARE HONEST AND KIND PEOPLE. SO BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP BEFORE I SEND YOU AWAY TO THE EMO CORNER OF THE INTERNET.**

**Mello: Didn't you live there since the end of Artificial or something? O.o And secondly, why the hell does Fee have a--**

**Me: NO SPOILERS.**

**Matt: Spoilers taste bad.**

**Mello: *sigh* Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters, but she does own the OC, Fee.**

**Matt: Which rhymes with PEE *IMHAPPYPLZ***

**Me: Sometimes, I really worry for you, Matt. I really do.  
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Two: Writing on the Wall

_Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Po-_

"Matt, stop touching me," Fee mumbled, her words muffled as her face was pressed flat onto the lunch table. Matt frowned, turning all angles to try and get a glimpse of the girl's face.

"Why are you so upset?"

Perking her head up, she rested her chin on the table and rolled her head from side to side, eyes closed. "I'm not sad, just peeved about Linda again. Get used to it, though, 'cuz it happens pretty often."

"Do you hate her?"

"Like a cat hates water."

Matt peered to the next table at just the girl they were speaking of. She smiled brightly as children gathered around her, watching as she scribbled in an elaborately decorated sketchbook. _Loved by everyone…_

"She seemed nice when I talked to her…"

Fee narrowed her eyes, getting up abruptly from her seat and grabbing Matt's sleeve. "Come with me," she said quickly, dragging the boy out of the room with her eyes set straight ahead.

"W-Wait, where are you taking me?"

"I don't want to talk about Linda anymore. You're fairly new, so you obviously haven't explored Wammy's too much, right? Well, I'm going to give you a proper tour, with Fee's stamp of approval!"

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Matt's head turned in circles as Fee stood proudly with her hands on her hips, satisfied at the redhead's gawking of her room. It was his second time inside, but his first getting a good look around.

Surveying the room, Matt couldn't count the number of drawings, paintings, and sketches all splattered onto the white plaster walls. It was messy, disorganized…and yet, there was some sort of raw beauty to it Matt couldn't comprehend.

"This is obviously my room, a.k.a. the Party Spot," she boasted, giving a toothy grin. Matt felt himself smiling too, walking up to one of the walls to get a closer look at the details. Amongst all the color, something caught Matt's attention in his peripheral vision, making him frown slightly at the sight.

"What's that?" he pointed out. The far right corner of the room seemed to be devoid of any sketches. It looked as though she had splashed black paint in all different directions, creating an explosion of darkness in a single, lonely corner.

The pride from Fee's face drained away, replaced with pure shame. "That's…..the Sadness. I try not to go there, but sometimes it doesn't matter what I do; people just keep adding to it."

Matt opened his mouth to say something, but Fee immediately rushed up to him and slapped her hand over it. "We don't have time for talking!" she said, regaining her previously excited disposition. "There are places to go; things to see; walls to paint!"

Racing ahead, Fee motioned for Matt to follow, taking off into the hallways. The redhead obediently chased after her, only to be stopped by a certain pigtailed girl on his way out of the room.

"Shh," she motioned, putting her finger to her lips. "Come with me! We need to talk."

"B-But Fee-"

"You can explain things to her later," she interrupted. Once again, Matt was being dragged down the hallway in the direction of an unknown destination.

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Linda sipped her juice box politely, the curls of her pigtails falling softly onto her shoulders. She pushed the now empty container to the side, folding her hands on the lunch table in front of her. The two were alone in the room, silence engulfing the both of them.

"So," Linda began. "I see you've been hanging around Fee a lot."

"Yeah, she's-"

"NO GOOD FOR YOU!" Linda erupted, grabbing her juice box and squishing it down to a pulp. Matt jumped back in shock, wide-eyed as Linda cleared her throat and slowly sat back in her previous position. She eyed Matt carefully, reading his face like an open book.

"You know, I think you have so much potential, Matt. I can tell these things. However, in case you haven't already learned, news travels fast around here, and Fee will ruin you. Do you even know _how _she ended up here?"

Matt furrowed his brow, staring deeply at the floor. "No, she didn't tell me. If she doesn't want to, she doesn't have to."

The ends of Linda's lips tugged downwards, perhaps to disguise her smirk. "Well, didn't you hear? You know….she's just a bastard child. Her mom sold herself for money, and her dad ran out as soon as she was born. One day, a customer of her mom's services killed her and videotaped the murder. I don't know much after that, but it's rumored that in her file, it says that she was forced to watch the tape over and over until she was found by police. That's probably why she's so weird."

Matt scrunched up his nose as though he has just smelled something foul. "Where did you hear all this?"

"She told me, of course."

"….If she trusted you with this information, why are you telling _me?"_

"Well, _excuse me _for letting you know what you're getting yourself into. I think the fact she _draws_ on _walls _should've been your first clue. She's just a bitter, talent-less hack."

Matt slowly rose from his seat, placing his palms flat on the table and staring Linda down. "I think Fee's past is her business. Thanks for your concern, but I'll be fine."

Linda's jaw dropped as Matt took wide strides out of the lunch room. As he turned the handle to open the door, someone on the other side opened it for him. Matt only saw a flash of blue before he was yanked by the wrist out of the entryway.

"Where the fudge where you?!" Fee demanded, her cold baby blues boring holes into his emerald green orbs. She glanced over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of Linda in the lunchroom, squeezing her empty juice box in frustration. Fee's eyes flashed with some unknown emotion as everything clicked into place. She turned her attention back to Matt, rolling up the sleeves of her baggy sweater to her elbows.

"I see you talked to Piggy. Did she gossip about me?"

Reluctantly, Matt nodded, bracing himself for some form of wrath. However, Fee just stood unfazed before him, as though she had been waiting for this to happen.

"I wonder what sort of kick she gets out of messing with me," she said nonchalantly, digging through her pockets until she pulled out a back sharpie. She glanced from the drawing tool to Matt, giving a sly smirk. "You know, you were one of the nicest…it'll be weird seeing you go. Well, see you around, Matt," she mumbled, spinning on her heels to walk away from him. He immediately pulled on her sleeve, tugging her backwards.

"I know what you're going to do, and you shouldn't. Linda doesn't know what she's talking about."

"Actually, it's all true. Of course, there are pieces to the puzzle that are missing, but on the most part, she's correct," she stated flatly, slowly taking Matt's hand off her sleeve. His eyes shone with concern, now reaching to take the sharpie out of her hands. Both held firmly onto the marker, refusing to let go.

"Matt, you wouldn't be the first to go. If you want to make new friends, then just go already."

"I don't need to when I already have you for a friend," he insisted, pulling hard on the marker and removing it from her grasp. Fee blinked at him, tilting her head to the side in both confusion and fascination. After a few moments, she gave a wild grin, pulling on his sleeve.

"You're too sappy and normal, Matt. I'm going to teach you how to be more…Fee!"

"Fee..?"

"You'll learn quickly that Fee is many things, like another word for absolute power; an adjective for all things awesome; my name…it's many things."

"If Fee means weird, then I agree to the adjective part."

"Actually, I looked it up, and Fee means 'fortunate'. Fortunate…yeah, right," the girl scoffed, turning a sharp corner with Matt in tow, the redhead tripping over his own two feet in an effort to keep up.

"By the way, where are we going?"

"To hide under Linda's bed until she falls asleep, then cutting off one of those pretty pigtails of hers. This is going to be the start of a _beautiful_ friendship, don't you think?"

Fee glanced over her shoulder, smirking at the look of shock on Matt's face. She faced back ahead, sliding her hand from pulling on his sleeve to intertwining with his fingers.

"A 'friend'….a partner in crime," she murmured to herself happily. "I like the sound of that…"

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"_I don't care what you think, as long as it's about me. The best of us can find happiness in misery..." _"I Don't Care" by Fall Out Boy.

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**A/N: YEY, FRIENDS FOREVERRRRRRRRRRRR :D**

**Mello: *gag***

**Matt: That was sexy because I was in it. **

**Me: Anyway, just wanted to note that for some reason, I think Linda actually FITS as the villan O.O I mean, in almost every fic I've read, she's like the ultimate Mary-Sue who is loved by all for no established reason. Well, FEE IS SPEHSHUL, in case you haven't noticed.**

**Mello: Fee's annoying.**

**Matt: She's....blue.**

**Me and Matt: ..........**

**Me and Matt: SHE'S BLUE, DA BA DEE DA BA DIE, DA BA DEEE DA BA DIE, DA BA DEE DA BA DIE!**

**Mello: Dear God....  
**


	3. Three: Sweet Nothings

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**Me: *SOOOOOOOOOOOOBS***

**Mello: Um...What Misseh means to say is...that she is currently mourning the loss of her old computer, which contracted a really bad virus that wiped out all her files and made system restore impossible. She was living without a computer for an entire week, and claims to "have almost died" without it.**

**Me: *SOBBBBBBBBBB***

**Matt: She also says that due to this, she apologizes if the update for this story was in any way late. Basically, she had to rescue the file for this story off her hardrive and save it onto a separate card. **

**Me: *SOB SOB SOB***

**Matt: However....this also means she lost--**

**Me: ALL MY MELLO PORNNNN IS GONEEEEE. ALL THOSE BEAUTIFUL PICTURES....POOF! VANISHED INTO THIN AIR ;_____;**

**Mello: *IMHAPPYPLZ***

**Me: *sniff* Anyway, I managed to kidnap my father's dinosaur laptop and write, even though the keys are really flat and delicate, meaning I was making more typos than I thought physically impossible. So, also, on the plus side, I got A BILLION reviews after chapter two, which has made me so happy :D I thank all my readers eternally. In fact, I want to shine the spotlight on someone specific for a moment, if possible. TAKE IT AWAY, NEAR!**

**Near: Regarding one of Misseh's other stories, Artificial, which is a NearxOC story, she is proud to announce it has become one of her most successful fics in more than one sense. Toph13139, a regular and valued reviewer, actually wrote A SONG inspired by the story. This song, also titled "Artificial", actually won a contest in her school. Toph13139 will go on to play her song in the National Contest of New Talents.**

**Me: *EXPLODES WITH JOY***

**Matt: You people just go on reading while I clean up her pieces...._ladies~_**

**Near: That "ladies" add on made absolutely no sense.**

**Matt: SHUDDUP. Anyway, Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters, but she does own the OC, Fee.**

**Near: She also doesn't own Linda, but would very much like to know just where the HELL does she originate from, anyway. Best answer, she says, wins a cookie.  
**

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Three: Sweet Nothings

Fee pouted, staring up at Roger's disapproving glare while Linda clung to his leg, growling menacingly. The old man dangled a pair of scissors in front of the blue haired girl's face, to which she responded by crossing her arms in a huff.

"Apologize."

"No."

"_Now, _Fee. You're venturing into dangerous waters regarding my patience with you."

"She still has two pigtails, doesn't she?! Why do I have to apologize for something I didn't even do yet?"

"The threat of it is enough. Apologize to Linda, and then the problem will be resolved."

"With all due respect, Mr. Roger, the problem will not be solved until that _thing _is out of here."

"_Shut it, _Linda, before I shut it _for _you!"

"That's enough, young lady! Detention today at 3 o'clock sharp, and I'll also be taking away those precious paints of yours, though you always seem to restock…"

"Think of it as a drug trafficking system," Fee said with a smirk. "I've got connections."

"Be on time for your punishment, understood?" Roger snapped, walking off with Linda hopping happily behind. Fee stuck her tongue out at the back of the old man's head, sulking in defeat. She peered to her right to see Matt halfway hidden behind the corner of a wall, quietly observing.

"I guess your master plan didn't work out so well. You have detention at three now?" he asked.

"Yup."

"….You're dragging me along, aren't you?"

"Yup."

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Fee burst through the doors to the detention room, twirling in circles. "Don't worry, I am here," she proudly announced, stretching her arms out as she marched towards the teacher's desk. Matt trailed behind her, scratching the back of his head nervously as he scanned the almost empty room. He spotted a girl sitting in the back corner and attempted to wave, but she only gave a fearsome scowl as she bit into a chocolate bar.

After bidding a good afternoon to the teacher, Fee turned to look in Matt's direction. She frowned when she saw him staring at the girl in the back row, lost in his own thoughts.

"Matt, come back to Earth, please," she mumbled, getting in the way of his view. She pushed him in the direction of the opposite corner and shoved him down into a chair. "Sit, and stay," she commanded, placing her hands on her hips soon afterwards. She turned on an angle to look over at the girl; the only other person in the detention room. After a moment's silence, her eyes brightened as an idea popped into her head.

"Hey you," she addressed, catching the person's attention. Blonde hair fell in front of dark blue eyes as the girl raised an eyebrow, chocolate still hanging from her mouth. Grinning madly, Fee sauntered over to the blonde's desk, leaning against it as she propped her elbows up and rested her chin in her hands. "What're you in for?" she inquired. Matt watched in fascination at how casual his blue-haired companion could be, even with the most unfriendly looking of people.

The blonde leaned backwards in his chair to give Matt a questioning look, to which the redhead responded with a simple shrug. Turning back to Fee, the blonde momentarily removed the chocolate bar from her mouth to speak. "I punched some pale little freak in the gut."

Both Matt and Fee were taken back by the very unfeminine voice that belonged to their mysterious acquaintance. Fee narrowed her eyes and scrunched up her nose, moving forward to be just an inch's distance from the blonde's face. She looked him up and down as he twitched uncomfortably, using a finger to push back on her shoulder. "Do you _mind, _weirdo? It's called personal space, in case no one told you."

Fee tilted her head to the side, watching carefully as the blonde, now confirmed to be of male gender, pulled his chocolate bar up to his lips, snapping off a piece. She smiled, her eyes sparkling with curiosity, a sure sign of her unusual mind at work.

"I'm gonna call you Willy," she declared, nodding her head as though to approve herself.

"…Is there something _wrong _with you?!"

"Maybe, but I'm not telling you," she said happily. Showing her signature Cheshire cat grin, she held out her hand for him to shake it. "Call me Fee the Magnificently Magnificent, or just Fee for short. You are now Willy, after the great Willy Wonka the Chocolatier himself, and that shy weirdo in the back is just Matt," she said nonchalantly, pointing over her shoulder at the redhead.

"Why don't I get a cool nickname?" he complained, getting up from his chair. Fee whipped her head around, eyes narrowed and lips pursed. "Because you're not Fee enough yet to get a nickname. And didn't I tell you to stay put?"

Matt pouted slightly, slowly sitting back down in his chair. Fee turned back towards "Willy", regaining her previous smile. "Sorry about that. Anyway, Willy, congratulations on officially becoming a member of my crew! I'll start working on an 'Agenda of Awesome Things to Do Before We Die'; an essential part of any properly organized crew!"

"We have a crew?" Matt murmured, even more lost now than he was before. However, despite his confusion, he found himself smiling at the girl's always amusing antics.

"A better question, actually, is since when did I _become _a member of this friggin' thing?!" the blonde Fee dubbed "Willy" erupted. He turned towards Matt, face red with rage. "Do you have any part in this madness? What the heck are you smiling for?"

Matt held up his hands defensively, shaking his head. "N-No! Actually, m-most of the time I smile because I have no idea what is going on."

The infuriated blonde glanced from Fee, who had begun to write her agenda on the nearest wall in sharpie, to Matt, who smiled awkwardly. He breathed shakily, picking up his abandoned chocolate bar to snap off another piece. "You guys are freaks…but I get the feeling you won't leave me alone now, will you?"

"Probably not."

"Not a chance, Willy."

"Whatever; but, for Christ's sake, could you call me by my proper name?"

"Nope," Fee said quickly, scribbling her list on the wall with vigor. Matt sighed, turning towards the blonde. "You can ignore her; what would you like to be called?"

"Mello."

"Cool. I'm Matt."

Mello stomped towards Matt's desk, taking the seat in front of him. "Why do you hang out with that nut job, anyway?" he asked in a hushed tone, jutting his chin in Fee's direction. Matt looked over at her, admiring the now fairly lengthy list she had made on the wall. "Well, she's my friend. What can I do?"

"Just leave, for one."

"You don't do that to people you care for."

"That makes you soft," Mello stated flatly, munching on his chocolate. "People leave all the time; the point is to teach you to just stop caring."

Matt frowned, staring sadly at his misdirected new friend. "…Well, I can promise you one thing: Maybe people have done that before, but I'm not one to leave a friend behind."

Mello stopped nibbling on his chocolate bar, his eyes widened slightly at the statement. He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a marker thrown at his head.

"Ow! What the heck?!"

"I declare detention over! We've got a long agenda, and not nearly enough time."

"Isn't that for the teacher to decide..", Matt began, but stopped himself as he saw the teacher snoring in the front of the room, face down on her desk.

"She's been asleep this whole time? How did that happen?"

Fee looked over at the sleeping instructor, quirking a brow. "Oh, that? Psh, I just slipped something in her tea before detention even started," she boasted, as though the act was nothing.

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Fee half-skipped through the bustling halls of Wammy's, hooked onto both Matt and Mello's arms. While she dragged the boys along, she caught a glimpse of Linda in all her pigtailed glory, glaring with disgust at the duo that had now become a trio.

"You're like a black hole, aren't you? You just suck poor, innocent, _normal _ people into your filthy clutches," Linda spat as Fee passed by.

Fee only smiled wider, giving each arm she grasped a squeeze. She never stopped her pace; no insult slowed her down. "You _know_ you want some of this," she mouthed, holding her head high as Linda watched them speed past, fuming.

"So, what exactly is first on this 'Awesome Agenda' of yours?" Matt asked, giving Fee's arm wound around his a hesitant squeeze back.

"Skydiving."

"…Fantastic."

* * *

"_We are young, we run green. Keep our teeth, nice and clean. See our friends, see the sights, feel alright..." -"_Alright" by Supergrass.

* * *

**A/N: LOL, yes, this is my weird little introduction of Mello. What a lovely friendship this has become.**

**Matt: *mouths* _You KNOW you want some of this._**

**Fangirls: *SQUEE***

**Mello: WHY THE HELL DOES EVERYONE ALWAYS THINK I'M A FRIGGIN' GIRL AT FIRST?! AND WTF IS WITH THIS WHOLE "WILLY" NAME THING?!**

**Me: ILU MELLO :D**

**Matt: LOL....Now that Mello is included, I noticed it said it went from "a duo to a trio". I think a BETTER choice of words would've been a THREESOME.**

**Me: ......One, two three....**

**Matt: .....Matt, Mello and Fee.....**

**Me: GETTIN' DOWN WITH 3P-**

**Matt: EVERYBODY LOVES *MOANS***

**Mello: O.O  
**


	4. Four: Console

**Me: *deep breathe* OKAY, I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE. I....AM NEWLY IN LOVE~**

**Matt: YOU'RE CHEATING ON MELLO?!**

**Mello: THANK THE LAWD, I AM A FREE MAN!**

**Me: NO, you dumbasses! Remember my old computer got a virus? Well, after kidnapping my Dad's old dinosoar computer, he decided I am in desperete need of a new one. Now, I HAVE A BRAND NEW LAPTOP! It's so shiny.... *o***

**Mello: Leave it to you to get distracted by shiny things. -_-**

**Me: ANYWAY, everyone has been EXTREMELY kind regarding reviews and about my whole computer-less situation. People OFFERED TO SEND ME MELLO PRONZ (Yes, it is spelled Pronz on purpose). Lots of love to Josephine_Falnor, and to oXo_sUpErSpIcYsUgAr_oXo :D**

**Mello: .....*twitch* You people are sick.... O.e**

**Me: SHUDDUP. Anyway, I got LOTS of responses on where Linda originated from:**

**KrAzY-LiTtLe-ImP: **For my idea on the Linda thing...I think she crawled out from the dark Abyss of Randomness, where most random walk-on characters dwell, secretly plotting against major characters and eating cookies...sorry, that was random...and now I want cookies :( aw...

**GiggleParade: **"Near: She also doesn't own Linda, but would very much like to know just where the HELL does she originate from, anyway. Best answer, she says, wins a cookie."  
Near, I believe the answer was stated in the question in capital letters. If that will not suffice, then... Well, you see, when a mommy and the devil love each other very much...

**Beyond_Jadee: **Btw, Linda is surely from Hell. The deep firey dark burning pits of HELL. Either that or a pigtail factory, people from there can detect when another is going to chop their pigtails off. *nods head with proud smile*

**Josephine_Falnor: **As for where Linda comes from, she comes from the deep, dark realm of the fandom's mind. The fandom would like to think that there are intelligent female characters in Death Note and, hey, you have to be intelligent to get into Wammy's House. Also, the fandom likes to have another character that can irritate the boys at Wammy's. I don't know why, it's just how it is. -_-

**Me: THESE WERE ALL HILARIOUS xD However, best so far was this:**

**TheEvilMuffinToaster: **What! I didn't think you were a girl Mello!  
...Okay I lied.  
I didn't figure out you were a guy until Chapter 60...  
-sends Mello a box of I'M SORRY CHOCOLATES-  
But one thing there is one thing you could never beat Near at, young grasshopper -squints eyes like a japanese styled american sensei- You destroy him with your fashion style, cross-dressing, and sitting normal. The thing you can't destroy Near in is  
...smiling.  
I mean c'mon! Have you seen Near's smile? It's like five of the world's hottest volcano's went off!

**Me: LOLOL.**

**Mello: Wait...THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH LINDA, LET ALONE ANYTHING!**

**Me: I KNOW, RIGHT? *IMHAPPYPLZ* OH, BY THE WAY, ONE MORE THING:**

**Lexy (Mayu_Koizumi): **From now on, Fee, Matt, and Mello shall be known as the Golden Trio. From henceforth, I christen them so. They're like the Harry, Ron, and Hermione of Death Note-Land. :D

**Me: HELLZ YEAH!**

**Mello: -_- Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. However, she does own the OC, Fee. Linda is Copyright Satan's Pigtails Company, 2009.**

**Matt: I work there...._ladies~_  
**

* * *

Four: Console

"_Does it hurt, darling? Don't waste your breathe; no one hears those screams, no one cares for those tears. This is what you get for being the spawn of a whore. Let these be permanent memories of--_"

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Matt didn't remember what time it was when Fee dragged him out of bed by the covers, throwing a pile of clothes on his face. He groaned as he tossed his sweater aside, only to be greeted by the sight of a pair of blue rain boots, tapping impatiently.

"Hurry up," she commanded, staring him down. Matt quirked a brow at the dark circles under her eyes; just as black as eyeliner.  
"Didn't get much sleep, did you?"  
"No. Now hurry the heck up, since I don't have much time to explain. I'll wait outside."

Fee marched out, leaving a dazed Matt to haphazardly throw his clothes on in accordance to his friend's request. Once done, he went outside to greet her, rubbing his eyes from exhaustion.

"What's the rush, Fee?" Matt mumbled. Fee responded by putting a finger to her lips, grabbing his sleeve and pulling him in her desired direction. Before she could even face away from him, however, their escape was interrupted by the familiar and squeaky voice of a certain pigtailed rival.

"Mr. Roger, Mr. Roger! I found them!" Linda announced, pointy a finger at the duo as the addressed old man walked to stand behind her. He patted her head approvingly, his face growing stern as he glared at Fee with intense contempt.  
"Young lady, I believe you're perfectly aware that your 'master plans' won't work any longer. You are going to attend whether you like it or not."

Fee pursed her lips; her pucker quickly turning downwards as her eyes flickered to Linda. "Tattletale," she hissed.

"That's enough. Linda will lead you to get into the proper attire. As for you, young man," Roger said, turning his attention to Matt. "I won't have an accomplice anywhere near the mastermind. You'll be coming with me."

Matt gave one last concerned look towards Fee before he ran to walk behind Roger. "Uh, where are we going, anyway? I haven't been told anything."

"Well, today is the Rankings Ceremony, and everyone will be gathering in the auditorium--"

"We have an _auditorium?!_"

"You don't seem to get out much, do you?"

"Well, those games won't play_ themselves_."

"…Of course…."

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Matt kicked his feet back and forth as he sat in his uncomfortable chair in the farthest end of the auditorium. He stared aimlessly at the ceiling; counting the cracks as he wondered how long before Fee would arrive. He jumped when a pair of arms grabbed him in a chokehold from behind; hot breathe blowing frighteningly down his neck.

"Laugh, and I'll kill you."

"….F-Fee?" he sputtered, attempting to turn around despite the chokehold. "Why would I laugh?"

"Just promise, idiot!"

"Okay, okay! I promise I won't laugh."

Cautiously, Fee released him, grabbing the empty chair beside him with brute force while sitting down in a huff. Matt's eyes widened as he observed her from head to toe, the new outfit she wore having rendered him speechless.

"….Are you wearing a _dress_?"

"Just shut up. As if I wasn't feeling angry enough I had to attend this stupid thing, now I have to sit here while wearing this _retarded dress_!" she cried, throwing her arms up in disgust. After a moment, she bent over to pet her rain boots, her expression showing what almost looked like affection for an article of clothing. " There was no way I was going to let that stupid Roger make me change my boots, though. My poor babies…."

Fearsome blue eyes snapped toward the redheaded boy, looking almost animalistic. "You agree, right?"

Matt nodded frantically, sending wisps of his hair flying over his eyes. "Y-Yeah, you shouldn't be forced to change. But….uh," he stuttered. "You don't look terrible either."

Fee blinked a few times, her mind devoid of a response. Once back in reality, she smirked, putting both hands on her hips. "Well of _course_, you don't need to remind me. I already know I'm quite the looker."

The conversation of the two was ended when the abrupt shrieking of the auditorium microphone came over the speakers. At the head of the room stood Roger, awkwardly tapping the mic as the room fell into silence. "Good afternoon, children, and welcome to the annual Rakings Ceremony, in which you will all receive your House number according to your academics and success in your designated talent. We will begin with number 200 and work our way up."

One by one, Roger worked at the tedious task of announcing the numbers and congratulating each orphan. Matt caught himself falling asleep more than once, but was surprised that Fee remained attentive and eager throughout the whole ordeal, despite her original protest to even coming. Once Roger said he was to announce the Top Ten, the subtle roar from whispering throughout the auditorium was silenced as everyone perked up to see who had become this year's elite.

"The orphan with the honor of receiving Tenth in the orphanage is…," Roger began, pausing as though to purposefully add to the tension. Fee sat up straight, her expression cross as she waited for the answer.

"…Miss Fee, congratulations," Roger murmured, his happiness for her dulled when compared to his previous announcements.

Matt smiled brightly, turning towards his companion; expectant she would share the same feelings of pride. Much to his confusion, he noticed her previous eagerness dissipated, replaced with a look of both forced indifference and underlying hurt. She sat slightly hunched over as she knocked her boots together, gripping the end of her chair. Matt opened his mouth to speak, but his voice was muted by Roger's next announcement.

"Now, the orphan receiving the spot of Ninth, who is also a well known and most likely our most gifted artist, will be Miss Linda. Congratulations."

Hopping up from her seat, Linda grinned at the entire room, earning a small applause from her surrounding peers. After the applause, Roger continued to announce the remaining numbers until he had reached the Top Three.

"Now, the Top Three of Wammy's is a most prestigious achievement, and should be treated as such. The following children are truly gifted, starting now with the one receiving the title of Third. That child is….young Matt. Congratulations."

Matt's jaw dropped at the mention of his name, the same reaction occurring with Fee almost simultaneously. After gathering her sanity, Fee leapt out of her seat and tackled Matt into a congratulatory hug. "You friggin' made _THIRD_! You're amazing, Matt!" she cried, making his face turn as red as his hair.

"Now, next in line, receiving the spot of Second, is….Mello. Congratulations."  
"YEAH WILLY! YOU GO, GIRL!"  
"SHUT UP, FEE!"

"….And now, for the moment we have all been waiting for. The gifted child who will be receiving the title of First in Wammy's is…Near. Congratulations."

The entire auditorium turned to stare in awe at the boy who was apparently Near, gawking at how strange he seemed for first in all of Wammy's. He sat silently with a strand of his own white locks between his fingers; indifferent upon receiving the throne as smartest among all 200 people in the room with him.  
"What a weirdo….Awesome," Fee remarked, getting up from her chair on cue with the rest of the children in the auditorium. People scrambled to compare ranks and to admire those higher than their own, while some went around to gloat at their inferiors.  
Linda was a member included in those "some".

"Well, well, Fee," Linda snorted as she approached her and Matt. "It seems like you're not only a second-rate artist, but a second-rate student as well. If you'll excuse me, I'm off to sketch the best in the house."

"Oh, can I come?" Matt offered, despite the look of disapproval from Fee. Linda tilted her head to the side, sticking her bottom lip out. "Aw, sorry Matt, I said I was going to sketch the _best_. And…well, you're….third. Maybe next time, okay?"

As Linda skipped off with her pigtails bouncing in step, Matt's smile faded into a frown. Fee looked up at him curiously, taking a moment before she grabbed the corners of his mouth and tugged upwards.  
"Ow! Vhat the hreck?!" he yelled incoherently.  
"You look better smiling, so quit that puppy dog look you have going on already," she mumbled, wiping her thumbs on her dress after she moved her hands away. She stalked off in a hurry, leaving Matt standing by his lonesome.

"Wait! Where are we going now?"  
"You mean where am _I_ going? None of your business, and you shouldn't follow. I have stuff to do."

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Matt leaned against the door to Fee's room, trying to listen for movement inside. He hadn't seen or heard from the girl in over three days, and it make him worry profusely. Having had enough, Matt knocked only once before inviting himself in, ready to demand a reason for receiving such a cold shoulder. What he saw, however, caught him completely off guard.

On the wall closest to her bed, Fee had painted a mural; the remains of her supplies and paints still strewn about on the carpet. The art piece was of a smiling, redheaded boy in a striped shirt, with the drawing of a heart that appeared to be stitched up on the upper left corner of his clothes. Matt felt as though he were looking into a mirror; the drawing seemingly ready to spring to life at any moment. Beside the mural, she scribbled down in small and delicate handwriting:

_Linda is retarded. Hope this fixes things. _

Turning to his right, however, Matt was disheartened to see Fee's sleeping form on the floor, curled in a fetal position into the corner she named The Sadness. The black that blanketed the corner seemed to have grown; evidenced by the black sharpie Fee still grasped in her hand.

Making himself comfortable, Matt took a seat beside her on the carpet, sitting in silence while she slept. He moved only every once in a while to tentatively wipe the tears rolling down her cheeks.

* * *

_"...And if it makes you less sad, I'll take your pictures all down. Every picture you paint, I will paint myself out..." _-"The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot" by Brand New.


	5. Five: Butterflies

**Me: I AM GOING TO DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE =3=**

**Mello: YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS :D**

**Matt: WTF WHY?! YOU CAN'T DIE. WHO'S GOING TO FEED ME?**

**Me: NOT LITERALLY, DUMBASSES. I literally don't get sleep anymore because school sucks, so I'm just tired *snores***

**Matt: LET MELLO SING YOU A WONDERFUL LULLABY! **

**Mello: Rock-a-bye, and goodnight. Go to sleep stupid author. You're sadistic, I hope you die. You're a slave driver in disguise~ *IMHAPPYPLZ***

**Matt: *tears* THAT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL. ;3;**

**Me: STFU, WILLY. Moving on, I absolutely ADORE all my reviewers. Do you not see how many reviews I have already? Look at it. LOOK. AT. IT. You guys make me want to write, even into all hours of the morning ^^**

**Matt: For you, _ladies, _I will practice polygamy and marry you all SIMULTANEOUSLY.**

**Me: ....Yes. **

**Mello: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. She does, however, own the OC, Fee.**

**Me: WAIT, ONE MORE THING:**

**x-Malicious-Me-x: **I have to ask you something. Do you drug your stories?

**Me: .........**

**Mello: .......**

**Matt: .......**

**Matt: ...........OSFOSJOSKCDNCIQ THEY'RE ONTO US, SOUND THE ALARMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!  
**

* * *

Five: Butterflies

_"Scream louder, sweetie. Make it so that even your mother can hear you from hell. Scream, Fee, scream. In fact, let me just show you what happens to filthy skanks like your mom. Watch now. Over and over, over and over, over and over…."_

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Upon awakening, Fee's untamed blue orbs stared blankly at Matt's bright baby greens, tracing the outline of his face. She scrunched up her nose, confused as to where exactly she was, and why her head was rested on Matt's knee.

As though he was reading her thoughts, Matt straightened his back, clearing his throat as he forced himself to stare straight ahead at the wall. "U-Uh, you left the door open, and you were sleeping on the floor. I thought…you'd be uncomfortable, so-"  
"So you thought your knee would make a better pillow than the perfectly fluffy carpet?"  
"…..Yes…?"

Fee rolled over, burying her face directly into the carpet without a second thought. "Thanks, I guess," she said, her voice muffled. Matt began to pull at the carpet, the silence between them almost painful.

"…Does it really matter that much to you?"  
"What does?"  
"Beating Linda."

Fee frowned, cocking her head to the side slightly. "What gave you that idea?"  
"Well, I kinda found you here in…that corner. B-But you know, that drawing is amazing, no matter how recognized Linda is. Sometimes it's all about the underdog, you know?"

Blue gazed into green once more, curious and seeking; seeking just what was going on in the mind behind those grassy greens.  
_  
….Huh…..Matt's got nice eyes….  
Wait, what did I just think about?_

Matt jumped when Fee bolted up from where she had sat calmly just seconds before. She ran to her cluttered closet, searching through her things until she sighed happily, finding what she was looking for.

"Put these one," she muttered, slapping a pair of goggles painfully onto his face. He winced before adjusting them, looking around the room in slight amazement.  
"Everything's orange-tinted," he mumbled, turning his head in circles. After his eyes had roamed all corners of the room, they snapped back to look up at Fee. "What am I wearing them for, though?"

Matt quirked a brow as Fee glared at him, placing her hands on her hips as though she were furious. "Since when do I need a reason to do _anything_? Life's too short for explanations!"

Grabbing his sleeve like she'd done so many times before, Matt was dragged out the door; his fate controlled by whatever Fee decided to do on a whim.

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"Fee, where to now?"  
"To hell."  
"W-What?"  
"You're stupid, Matt. When will you ever learn to be Fee enough? You fail me as a student."

Matt stuck out his bottom lip. "Not_ that _again. It doesn't matter what I do, I'm never 'Fee' enough."  
"Don't give me the puppy-dog act. Do that and I'll stick a collar on you, if that's what you're aiming for."

Matt smirked, slowly edging his sleeve out of Fee's death grip and slipping his fingers between hers. "Oh, I see, is that what you'd like to do, Fee?" he said in a louder tone. "Do I sense some secret desires, here,_ Fee?_"

"What do you think you're doing, Matt?"  
"What about_ you_, Fee? Where are you going with all this?" he questioned, his voice getting louder with each word so that he attracted stares from other orphans in the hallway.  
"Shut up, Matt."  
"FREEDOM OF SPEECH, FEE."  
"HOW ABOUT FREEDOM OF I-CAN-KICK-YOU-IN-THE-"

Taking advantage of her state of distraction, Matt yanked on the hand he held and threw her over his shoulder with ease, carrying her down the halls in the opposite direction despite her resistance.

"Put me…down!" she fought, trying to fight back giggles.  
"Oh, so Little Ms. Dominatrix likes to be overpowered, too! That's cool, I can roll with that," he boasted. However, as Matt turned a corner, he tripped clumsily over his own two feet, sending Fee flying over his shoulder and landing with a _thud_ behind him.

"My, Fee, you've lost weight."  
"_I fell, stupid_!"

The redheaded gamer twirled around quickly, bending forwards and holding a hand out to help her up. "S-Sorry, I guess I went overboard with the attempt…"  
"Not everyone is born with the potential to be Fee, Matt," she scoffed, taking the hand presented to her. She twitched slightly as what felt like a jolt coursed through her arm at the touch, along with a sense of warmth.  
_  
…His hands are warm…_

"Uh…_Ugh_!" she cried, yanking her arm back. "What's wrong with you? It's like your hands are on fire!"

Fee pressed against the wall for support as she got up, grabbing Matt's sleeve soon after. She ran with him in tow down a flight of stairs into the orphanage's kitchen, and began to throw open the cabinets in a desperate search. She rummaged through one of the cabinets until she pulled out a pair of black gloves, throwing them to the redhead.

"You're making me wear _gloves_ now?" he said in disbelief, slipping them on to find that they reached almost up to his elbows. Fee grinned in triumph, easily grabbing his newly covered hands.

"C'mon now, let's see how our cranky little Willy is doing," she decided, dragging him back up the flight of stairs.

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_Knock, knock._

"Go away, Fee."  
"Aw, you're no fun, Willy! Let us in!"  
"I have to study, unlike some people who think it's a genius idea to draw on walls."  
"You don't appreciate_ true_ genius, Willy. Let us in, or I'll be more than happy to decorate this door of yours all sorts of pretty colors."

After a few moments, Mello lazily opened the door to be greeted by Fee tackling him to the floor. "'Sup, Willy!"  
"Stop calling me that!"

Fee only patted his head in response, humming pleasantly as she tumbled backwards to be greeted by Matt's boots. "Hi there," she said to them, prodding the leather with her finger.  
Mello's greeting, however, was far from pleasant.

"…Matt, from which garbage can did you get your outfit?!" he cackled, clutching his sides as he laughed uncontrollably at the sight before him. The redhead leaned from side to side, shuffling his feet in embarrassment.  
"It was all Fee's idea! She told me to wear them!"  
"Well of course, that's an ensemble only Fee could dream up from within that dark abyss of her mind," Mello teased, earning a punch in the shoulder from the said girl.

"Matt doesn't look terrible. Leave him be," she hissed. Matt took a seat next to her on the floor and began bumping his knee against hers in boredom, sending jolts of electricity each time they met. Fee reached her boiling point and shoved Matt away from her, her face bright red from what Matt assumed to be rage.

"L-Leave, Matt!"  
"Did I do something wrong…?"  
_"Get out!"_

Mello observed curiously as Matt dashed out of the room, his expression slightly pained. Fee stared at the floor, picking at Mello's carpet.

"Was his knee being rude to you?"  
"He was being annoying, okay?!"  
"_Annoying_? You should try living with yourself, and then tell me who's annoying!"

She grunted, averting Mello's gaze as her face slowly cooled from a burning red to a faint shade of pink. It was only two seconds before everything clicked in Mello's mind and he wore one of Fee's signature Cheshire cat grins.

"You should go say sorry."  
"…What you talkin' 'bout, Willis?"

Mello rolled his eyes, placing his hand on her shoulder. "You'll make sense of it on your own. For now, though, I don't think you take it out on poor Matt, since he probably has no clue what's going on."

Fee's eyebrows scrunched together, her mind reeling. "You're not telling me anything-"  
"Just go apologize, idiot," Mello commanded, pushing her backwards as motivation towards the goal.

Also, to gain some peace and quiet, as well as get her out of his room.

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Matt sat back against the wall in the empty hallway, staring off into space as he sorted through his thoughts. One moment, he felt as though he had gotten through to Fee and had finally made her happy; the next, she was screaming just because of his simple presence in the room.

_Girls think so weirdly, but Fee takes it to another level…_

The squeaking of rain boots snapped him back to reality as he watched Fee trudge down the halls, her arms folded across her chest. Instead of pressing her back against the wall like most would, Fee walked into it and pressed her cheek against it, slipping down to Matt's level.  
"Hey," she nearly whispered, hugging her knees.  
"Hi," he mumbled.

"Um….Listen, I'm sorry. I was wr….I was wro…..I….was…..wroooonnn……" she struggled, as though she had never spoken the word before. Matt laughed at her attempts, taking his goggles off and letting them hang loosely around his neck.

"How about _I_ say I was right."  
"Right? What could you possibly be right about?'

In an instant, Matt hooked his thumbs against the edges of her mouth, tugging upwards.  
"You look better smiling. Now that _is_ something I learned from you that I didn't fail at."

Fee felt her cheeks burn again, but she didn't get angry at the sensation. Despite her mind's utter confusion as to what was going on, she felt an uplifting sensation in her chest; one much like extreme happiness.

_…Or maybe it's just heartburn. _

* * *

"_I trip fast and then I lose, and I hate looking like a fool. I just want your kiss, boy, I just want your kiss. I just want your kiss, boy, I just want your kiss..._" -"Pumpkin Soup" by Kate Nash.

* * *

**A/N: Aw, I luffles you Matty~ SERIOUSLY, WRITING THIS STORY IS CONVERTING ME TO MATTISM.**

**Mello: You say that for EVERY story you write, hypocrite. -_-**

**Me: WELL I CAN'T HELP IT IF ALL THESE ANIME CHARACTERS ARE SO DARN SEXY. Oh, and by the way:**

**Lexy (Mayu_Koizumi): **Also, we really have to continue our journey to Middle Earth. It must happen sometime, and it will be EPIC.

**Fee: LOLOL I FOUND WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A DINOSOAR BONE, but it was just Near wrapped in a white cone.**

**Mello: ......*teehee***

**Matt: FEE, I LOVE YOU. LET'S MAKE PURPLE BABIES.  
**

**Fee: O.O *runs away***

**Me: I think you came off a little too strong there, Matt.**

**Mello: Red and Blue makes....OHHHHH NOW I SEE.**

**Me: *coughSLOWcough*  
**


	6. Six: Desire

**Me: *ahem* Today, x-Malicious-Me-x shall be doing the honors for my reaction on reviews. **

**x-Malicious-Me-x: **!!*glomps*

**Me: *explo-**

**Mello: *wearing an apron* STOP. FUCKING. EXPLODING. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW LONG IT TOOK TO CLEAN THIS PLACE UP THE LAST TIME YOU "EXPLODED WITH HAPPINESS?"**

**Me: WELL, SO-RRY FOR EXPRESSING MYSELF -_- Anyway, THE REVIEWS ARE PHENOMENAL! I'm serious, I'm seeing familiar faces (lots of love!) as well as new reviewers (also lots of love!), and the feedback is just wonderful. However, it is so wonderful that at times I am frightened:**

**x-Malicious-Me-x: **Wow. I loved the beginning of the chapter. So morbid and creepy - I'm guessing that's Fee's father, and has something to do with the Sadness? (The Sadness is really something that builds on Fee's character. Awesomely original and... well, 'sad' is the only word I can think of, but in the good way.) If not, don't tell me. I love surprises :) Anyway, I really want to know more about Fee's past...

**Me: ...........ARE YOU ALL FRIGGIN' PSYCHIC OR SOMETHING?! This is of course not a bad thing, and in fact, more than one of you noticed "The Voice" in the beginning, and you are all INCREDIBLY observant people. This only makes the enormity of how awesomely awesome you people are...more enourmous :D**

**Mello: Maybe if you stopped "drugging your stories" like you said last disclaimer, people would not be getting such side effects as becoming psychic. **

**Me: MAYBE THEY ENJOY TELLING THE FUTURE. DID YOU EVER THINK OF THAT, WILLY?**

**Matt: G-GUYS ;3;**

**Me: What happened NOW, Matt? =3=**

**Matt: F-FEE AND I TRIED MAKING THOSE PURPLE BABIES I TOLD YOU ABOUT, AND, WELL.....**

**Mello: Spill it already, Matt!**

**Matt: LITTLE GOGGLE-WEARING WALL-DRAWING BARNEYS ARE RUNNING AROUND. RUN FOR YOUR LIIIIIVESSSSSSSS!**

**Me: OH WTF MATT.**

**Mello: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. She does, however, own the OC, Fee. **

**Me: *with a machine gun* DIE, SPAWNS OF SATAN!!!**

**Mello: ....No Barney/People/Mutant-Purple-Matt-And-Fee-Babies were harmed in the making of this disclaimer.**

* * *

Six: Desire  
_  
"Well, well. Look what's been done to that pretty little frame of yours. At least now these marks will remind you: monsters can't be loved. Your mother was one, and so are you. No one cares, no one cares, no one--"_

_"You look better smiling, Fee."_

_………..Maybe monsters can be loved……….  
You were wrong…….._

_Daddy._

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Fee sighed as she slapped another ribbon into Linda's hand, earning a scoff of disapproval from the girl. One by one, hearts and ribbons were to be hung up throughout the halls of Wammy's; a job left in the hands of two of the most competitive rivals in the orphanage, aside from Mello and Near.

_Way to go with choices, Roger_, Fee thought miserably as she watched countless orphans scamper by with roses and cards in hand. One boy eagerly ran up to Linda and gave her a flourishing rose, blushing profusely.

"Aw, thank you!" she said with a sickeningly sweet smile. Once the boy had run off, Linda threw the flower in with a growing pile beside her, smirking as she glared at Fee from the corners of her eyes.

"Oh my, I wonder what on earth I'm going to do with all these!" she cried mockingly. Fee rolled her eyes, bending down to grab a rose from the pile.

"You don't need to rub your popularity in my face. The pile does that for you."  
"You're only jealous because no one would ever give a weirdo like _you_ a rose on Valentine's Day."

Grinning, Fee took a bite out of the rose, eyes widened frighteningly. Linda went pale before she dropped the ribbons she held, running off to tell Roger. Fee snickered, turning around to come face to face with Matt.

"Fee, what are you doing _now_?"  
"Eating away at Linda's love life. What about you?"

Matt sighed, taking his goggles off and placing them to rest in his head. Fee's eyes narrowed as she reached up and pulled on the strap, letting it snap back painfully. "You're still wearing these? Even the_ gloves_?"

"Well, yeah, why not? The gloves give a good grip on my DS, and everything looks cooler when it's tinted orange."  
"You're a strange little boy…I _like_ it," Fee said excitedly, clasping her hands together. She nonchalantly threw the bitten rose and whatever decorations in her hand on the floor, grabbing Matt's sleeve and dragging him down the halls soon after.

"Let's get away from all this Valentine's crud. It's making me nauseous."  
"Everyone's just getting in the spirit. What's wrong with that?"  
"Two words, Matt: Bah. Humbug," she scoffed, turning a corner to run up the steps.

Attempting to keep up, Matt tripped and made a grab for her sweater to save himself, almost lifting it up. Acting quickly, Fee twirled around and slapped his hand away, holding on tightly to the end of her sweater as she gave Matt a look, as though she had been violated.

"….The hand rail is right there. Don't go lifting up people's shirts next time you fall," she hissed. Matt opened his mouth to say something when a hand slapped over it from behind him.

"I don't recommend arguing with your Valentine, Matt."  
"W-What?!"  
"WILLY, GO AWAY."

Mello smirked, emerging completely from behind Matt with a handful of roses in his arms. Fee smiled menacingly, snatching one of them and pulling at the petals. "I will estimate that 90% of these roses came from boys who were thrown off by what gender you were."  
"At least I _got_ stupid roses, Fee."  
"Oh, so you don't deny my accusation, then?"

Mello scowled, earning a now petal-free rose stem thrown at his face. Fee breathed in deeply, turning back around to continue up the steps.

"I'm going to my room now. Knock when this dumb holiday is over," she murmured. Matt tilted his head to the side as he watched her leave, frowning.

"She's upset, you know."  
"No, I don't know. You're the only one who can relatively understand that maniac," Mello retorted.  
"Well, she's upset. She acts like she doesn't care, but I'm sure she does. If you were the only girl who never got a rose on Valentine's Day, wouldn't you be a little peeved?"

Mello glared heatedly at the redhead. "I know what you're implying, you dumbshit. Anyway, if you know something's up, then why don't you do something about it?"  
"Like what?"

Mello sighed, dropping the roses he held and putting a hand on Matt's shoulder. He shook his head as though he was a father disappointed by his son.

"I'm ashamed of you, Matt. You've got a lot to learn."  
"_About what?!_"

"Learn to take a hint, for one thing," Mello said before he dashed down the steps. Matt scratched his head in confusion, turning to look down at the roses that lay in a flowery explosion on the stairs.

_Not a single rose, huh?_

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

Slowly but surely, Fee stacked her carrots into a tower on her lunch tray. She sat alone in the bustling lunch room; the clattering of trays and gossip of fellow orphans just background music as she built her own little carrot city. She was one vegetable away when a gloved hand slammed down on the table, knocking the entire structure down.

"…Matt, you better have saved me from some radioactive carrots, or you're dead."

Matt swallowed nervously, pulling at his collar. "Well, maybe not radioactive carrots, but…they're pretty soggy, I guess…"  
"What do you want?"

Matt looked to the edge of the lunchroom where Mello stood with a boom box. Taking his cue, the blonde pressed a button, causing graduation music to flow from the speakers and silence the lunchroom. Matt placed Fee's lunch tray on the floor to clear the table as he climbed up and stood on it. All eyes fell upon him as he fumbled with a piece of paper in his hand.

"This is a poem for Miss Fee I-Don't-Know-Your-Last-Name," he announced. He coughed twice to clear his throat, crinkling the sheet in his hands.

"AHEM….Roses are red, Violets are blue….and so is your hair. Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day."

Everyone stared with blank expressions at the boy who stood on the table, particularly the girl to whom the poem was addressed. Matt's eyebrows scrunched together as he scanned the room through his goggles.

"That's it, people. What more do you want? 'They lived happily ever after'?"

Fee blinked twice before she came back to reality. She stood up, turning to face the "audience".

"I think the proper thing to do is to start with one person clapping, followed by more and more people until we eventually explode into an epic applause," she declared seriously. When no one complied with her request, she shrugged, clapping on her lonesome while everyone else made cruel remarks under their breathe.

Fee smiled from ear to ear, wiping mock tears from the corners of her eyes. "That was the most poetic and beautiful thing I have heard. Perhaps I've finally made some progress with you."

Matt pulled his goggles off so that they hung around his neck, moving then to jump off the table to stand at Fee's height. "I thought you may like it. I also got you this," he mumbled, moving his hand to search through his back pocket. He delicately pulled out a single flower and handed it to her, his hands trembling slightly.

"….Is this a violet?"  
"I'm pretty sure. If I'm wrong, think of it this way: I was going to either get you this, or a dandelion."

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Rose petals fell to the floor as a certain pigtailed girl yanked them out mercilessly in anger. Linda's eyes burned with fury as she watched Matt and Fee across the lunchroom; all smiles, entirely happy. The two were soon joined by Mello, or "Willy", as Fee enjoyed to call him.

_How? How does she have them both? Out of nowhere, she gets friends, without even lifting a finger. She's so flawed; why does she have something I don't?_

Linda observed carefully as Matt tackled Fee into a playful hug, attempting to lift her off the ground. Instead, Fee prevented such an act by snapping his goggles painfully against his face. Her face grew red as she stared at him in annoyance, tugging her sweater down as far as she could. Matt settled for wrapping his arms gently around her shoulders, even if Fee only stood rigidly in his embrace.

However, it was something else that caught Linda's interest. Smiling mischievously, she grabbed her juice box off the table and walked quickly in Fee's direction. Once within her desired range, Linda pretended to trip, sending the juice box flying out of her hand and onto Fee's sweater; the fabric now stained with the sticky drink.

"Oops, so sorry!" Linda cried dramatically, running to Fee's aid. "Let me walk you to your room to change!"  
"It's fine, I can walk myself to-"  
"No, I absolutely_ insist_!" she pressed on, grabbing the girl's arm and leading her out of the lunchroom.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

Linda stood quietly outside of Fee's brightly decorated door. She held tightly onto the camera in her hand, sure not to drop it. Slowly, she pushed the door open just a crack; enough to get a good look inside.

That day, Linda was disgusted and frightened by what she saw, but nonetheless, she had a mission to complete. There was no way she'd be beaten by a second rate artist; a second rate student; a straight out _freak_. She couldn't possibly be beat in any way, shape, or form.

Moving silently, Linda slipped the camera inside, pressing down on the button.

_Click. _

* * *

"_All the gold and the guns in the world couldn't get you off. All the gold, and the guns, and the girls couldn't get you off. All the boys, all the choices in the world..." _-"Gold Guns Girls" by Metric.

* * *

**A/N: AS YOU CAN SEE, THE THEME OF THIS CHAPTER IS NOT, IN FACT, ROSES. IT IS SELFISHNESS AND GREED. OF LINDA. BECAUSE HER PIGTAILS ARE SCREWED ON TOO TIGHT.  
**

**Mello: Yeah, you totally show that with all the flowery shit going on *sarcasm***

**Me: SHUT UP. Anyway, for those reviewers who mentioned they were curious about Fee's past...THE WAIT SHALL SOON BE OVER...next chapter lol '^^**

**Matt: THEY'RE EATING MY BRAINSSSSS....**

**Fee: WTF was Linda doing with a camera in my room...ZOMGWTFBBQ SHE'S A PORNOGRAPHER?!**

**Me: ....*smirks* I wonder if she's got any Mello pronz for me.... :D**

**Mello: I'll kill you before you get your hands on it.**

**Me: OH, BY THE WAY, SPEAKING OF WONDERFUL POETRY:**

**Beyond_Jadee: **Mello is sexy 3  
Matt is sexy :3  
L is sexy :3  
Fee is sexy :3  
The way you write is sexy :3  
Kate Nash has a sexy voice :)

That is a poem for you ^ ^

**Me and Fee: *tears* THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING I HAVE HEARD IN MY LIFE.**

**Mello: Good Lord.... -_-  
**


	7. Seven: Monsters

**Me: *clears throat* HI, MY NAME IS MISSEH.**

**Mello and Matt: Hello, Misseh.**

**Me: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WELCOMING ME SO WARMLY INTO THE ANTI-IMPLOSION/EXPLOSION REHAB. I HAVE NOT EXPLODED IN OVER FIFTEEN MINUTES :D**

**Mello: .........*cough***

**Matt: YAYAYAYAYAY *claps***

**Me: THANK YOU. Now, another thing that deserves some clapping is ALL YOU REVIEWERS. Seriously, LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF REVIEWS I'M SEEING. It's so ridiculous, seriously. Love to you ALL, and I'm loving your feedback. ^^**

**Matt: EXCUSE ME, BUT WOULD YOU MIND TELLING ME WTF HAPPENED TO FEE.**

**Me: GTFO NO SPOILERS. However, it's not like it really matters anymore. YOU REVIEWERS KNOW THE PLOT, DON'T YOU? DON'T DENY YOU TELL THE FUTURE. I KNOW YOU DO. STOP PUTTING ME OUT OF A JOB.**

**Mello: PFFT, WHAT JOB?**

**Me: I regard writing as both work and leisure~ xD**

**Matt: That's what she said. OHOHOHOHOHO.**

**Me: Yeah...ANYWAY, BEHOLD AWESOME REVIEWS:**

**Kishi_Senmatsu: **Mello needs to calm his ** down. Exploding with happiness is only the best way to express your emotions! Also tell him he looks sexy in that apron =3

**Mello: I look MANLY and SEXY, I know, but there's no need to point out the obvious~ **

**TheEvilMuffinToaster: **Ahem, do you deem it strange that a forty year old man could mistake Mello for a girl?

**Me: I THINK YOU SPOKE TOO SOON, MELLO. BAHAHAHAHHAHA!**

**Mello: I hope you all die by getting your eyes gouged out with sporks -_-**

**Matt: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. She does, however, own the OC, Fee.**

**Me: ENJOY THE ANGST/COMEDY. HAVE A TISSUE IN HAND.  
**

**

* * *

**

Seven: Monsters

Small hands gripped tightly onto white porcelain as Fee sat on the floor, hunched over; staring into the bowl with that same putrid taste in her mouth. She felt her stomach heave again, and she gripped even harder; her fingers ice cold and her knuckles turning white.

Every time she blinked, she saw that same image before her; the image that made her heave, that made her stomach churn and nausea rise.

That exact same image was now pasted on all the walls around the orphanage, for the eyes of all spectators to see.

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Matt's eyes watched Mello with worry as he paced back and forth, mumbling under his breathe. The redhead had not been allowed to leave the room since he had woken up, thanks to his chocoholic friend who apparently was waiting outside his door. Matt adjusted his goggles before he spoke.

"Mello, why is it I can't leave again?" he asked for the tenth time. Just as he had done repeatedly, Mello stopped his walking ritual, glanced at the boy, made an exasperated tsk sound, and continued to pace. Even in full daylight, Matt felt so in the dark.

"What's going on, Mello?"  
"Nothing…no, something….never mind, it's nothing."  
"Is it something or nothing? I'm confu-"  
"_What's the difference? You won't find out either way!_" Mello snapped, his face reddened with rage. He didn't mean to take it out on Matt, but the pent up frustration was too much.

_Ignorance is bliss. He's better off not knowing…right?  
_  
"…Matt, how close are you to Fee?"  
"W-What do you mean?"  
"Just answer the question. How close are you to Fee?"

Matt pressed his thumbs together, staring down at the floor. "Pretty close, I guess…We're good….friends."  
"Good. Tell me, are you forgiving?"  
"Forgiving? Did Fee do something wrong?"  
"Are. You. Forgiving?"  
"Y-Yeah, but why does this matter?"

"You'll see."

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Matt could see absolutely nothing as Mello lead him through the halls, blindfolded. Though he was blind, he wasn't deaf, and the kinds of things he heard made him even more concerned than before.

_"Gross! She's even weirder than before!"  
"It was probably deserved."  
"The poor thing should just be put out of her misery."_

"Mello," Matt murmured in a near whisper. "What the heck is all this commotion? Who are they talking about?"  
"Shut up."

Mello pulled back on Matt's shoulders, bringing him to a halt. After a few moments of standing in silence, he felt a hand press onto his back and shove him forward. He stumbled for a few steps until he regained balance, slowly reaching up to remove the blindfold. He squinted his eyes to adjust to the dim-lit room, only to widen them again to find he was in "Fee's Lair."

He looked around until he found the mentioned girl, much to his discontent, huddled into the corner of The Sadness, hugging her knees. With her free hand, she scribbled in black sharpie angry marks against the wall, in no particular pattern or order. The mess on the wall was the mess she'd become.

Walking slowly, he made his way toward her until he crouched down beside her, watching her scribble. Bloodshot cerulean orbs remained fixed to the black explosion on the wall; her hunched over body stiff as Matt scooted over.

"Hey."

He didn't expect a reply, though he didn't even know what was wrong. Both of them sat there in silence; time passed around them while they felt as though time stood still. Suddenly, Fee turned towards Matt, her eyes half lid.  
"Close your eyes," she commanded, her expression stern. He nodded solemnly, putting his goggles on and shutting his eyes tightly. He felt her shift beside him, turning in place.

"Did you see them?"  
"See what?"  
"I guess not, then. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here."  
"…Fee, what's going on?"

"…Do you want to know about me, then? We may act like best friends, but in truth, we're total strangers, aren't we?"  
"That's not true. I-"  
"Save it. When you open your eyes, Matt…promise me you won't run right away."  
"Why would I-"  
"Open them."

Upon her request, his bright greens fluttered open to a sight that made him wish he had kept them closed. His breathe hitched in his throat as he tried to conceal his reaction best he could.

In front of him, Fee sat in a fetal position; her sweater pulled up onto her head. She faced away from him, baring her back.

Baring the scars.

Those _things_ were deep; valleys of imperfection on what would've been…what _should've_ been untouched and flawless skin. He took off his gloves almost in a trance, reaching out towards her. She arched away from his warm touch, almost frightened by the feeling of his fingers just barely trailing over her skin.

"Stop," she warned. However, for once, Matt did not listen. He reached out again, laying his hand on the small of her back and leaving it there, the pained expression in his eyes unrecognizable from the normally happy Matt.

"…These scars…spell out 'Hate'…"  
"I'm aware."  
"….Do they-"  
"No. They're permanent."

Matt sat there quietly there after, not daring to ask questions. Fee raised her said up slowly, staring ahead at the wall.

"….Why do you want to know what happened?" she asked. "It's just your average 'Daddy hurt me, Mommy didn't care' sap story. I think I have many stories of pranks I played on Linda that are _much _more interesting."

"I think all your stories are interesting."

Fee fell silent once more, tilting her head to the side slightly. She sighed deeply; troubled by everything. "Rumors that have truth are the worst kind. I _am_ a bastard child, and Daddy ran out while Mommy sold herself. Daddy came home one day, and I never saw Mommy again. He came to my room, did…that," she spat, motioning with the sharpie to her back. "And left me there to die."

Matt said nothing; he_ couldn't_ say anything. All he did was move forward, resting his hands at his sides as he rested his cheek on her shoulder. She flinched, easing into his touch slightly after a moment.

"…He taped it. I was left to watch it repeatedly, until I was rescued. And we all lived happily ever after."

Matt inched his arms to wrap around her protectively. "Well, I have to say I didn't really enjoy that story. It didn't have a very fairytale-like ending."  
"Well _excuse me_ for not having the perfect life."

Matt reached up, wrapping his fingers around the sharpie she grasped. She held firmly, her hand nearly trembling in determination to keep it there. Matt simply kept his hand over hers, waiting patiently.

"…Tell me, is that what this whole corner is for?" he said softly. She choked back a sob, nodding.

"I made The Sadness…so I could just leave all these bad feelings behind. It's easier to put your sadness off into a corner than to carry it around like normal people. Sadness…is a heavy burden."

"Well then, why don't you let go?" he murmured, pulling lightly on the marker. She pulled back at first, then slowly unwound her fingers, letting her hand fall limply to the floor as though the task of release was exhausting. Unwrapping his arms from around Fee, Matt moved to write on her shoulder, making her become motionless.

"That's sharpie, you know…" she said, smiling slightly through the tears that ran down her cheeks.  
"I know. It should wash out, though."

_He didn't run._

"What are you writing, though? I can't see."  
"That's classified."  
"You're a secret agent, now, are you?"  
"James Bond status, love," he smirked, speaking in a sudden British accent.

_He isn't scared. _

Once Matt had finished, he capped off the marker, pulling her sweater down and resting against her back. "To speak frankly, I don't care what you look like, and I don't care what others may say. You're still Fee the Magnificently Magnificent, aren't you?"

She wiped tears off her cheeks, only to be replaced with others. "Don't you dare forget it."

Matt closed his eyes, pressing his cheek against her. "Everything will change. I promise."  
"………Ok."

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Fee turned in circles in the shower, rinsing the soap off. Matt had long since gone, but the replay of the incident still lingered in her mind.

_Matt…don't break your promise. Enough is broken already._

She found herself smiling as a soap bubble rose up in front of her face, showing her contorted reflection in it. While she entertained herself with the bubble, she was left clueless as whatever remnants of the word "Love" written in sharpie on her shoulder went down the drain.

* * *

_"Everyday I lie awake and pray to God, 'Today's the day'. Oh no, Oh no. Here I am, here I am, when will someone understand? Oh no, Oh no..." _-"The Reeling" by Passion Pit.

* * *

**A/N: YEY, CUTE ENDING~ And by the way, now that I'm in no danger of giving out spoilers, I will demonstrate just how much you guys tell the future:**

**XXThe_wish_GranterXX**: Umm...Is the reason that Linda is disgusted because of some scars by Fee's dad on Fee's body?...That's just wrong, human beings can be so cruel..

**xXDeathlyRoseXx:** Wow,Linda is more devious than I thought. I still hate her. Anyhoo, does Fee have any scars or bruises from her past?

**Beyond_Jadee: **omgomgomgomgomgomgomg i got mentioned ;o  
Mello be glad you were first in teh poem biatch.

Does Fee have tenticalia in her back or a ** or something if Linda was disgusted and frightened by what she saw?  
Or is she against the same genders bodies.  
Hm.

**Me: LOLOLOLOL I LIKED THE LAST ONE.**

**Mello: SHUT THE FUDGE UP, ALL OF YOU.**

**Matt: FEE HAS TENTACLES?! Well, that explains any mutant Barney babies...**

**Me: No, I think it's probably your fault, Matt. OH, BTW, TWO MORE THINGS TO MENTION. ONE:**

**Sundae_Bunny: **Anyways, I started drawing a picture of Fee during class, and I was wondering if you wanted me to send it to you.

**Me: THIS WAS THE MOST FLATTERING OF FLATTERY. I can't believe I'd even get any fanart! I'm extending this out to anyone who would like to: If you want to draw any sort of fanart, OF COURSE I'd love to see it! ^^**

**Matt: WATCH THEM DRAW ME AND FEE ALL SEXY, AND THEN MELLO JUST NEKKED OFF IN A CORNER.**

**Me: .......YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.**

**Mello: GTFO PERVERTS.**

**Me: ANYWAY, let me say this: Lexy (Mayu_Koizumi) and I? NEW BFFS. Our plans? EVIL. What should you look up? InferiorInspiration. We are not responsible for any mind explosions from the epicness. Coming soon to a theater near you.**

**Matt: Rated M for Matt. Yes :D  
**


	8. Eight: Pandamonium

**Me: I'll just say it. I have over a hundred reviews. And this is only the eighth chapter. In fact, I don't even think exploding/imploding expresses my joy.**

**Matt: That's some srs bsns right there.**

**x-Malicious-Me-x: **You... I... This story... OHMYGOD!! * !*

**Me: YEAH THAT PRETTY MUCH SUMS IT UP. LOL I'M SO HAPPY :D**

**Mello: Your happiness sickens me.**

**Me: STFU. Because of that little comment, I'm not getting you ANYTHING FOR FRIGGIN' CHRISTMAS (which is pretty soon, by the way. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS).**

**Matt: HOLY SHIT REALLY?! WHAT ARE YOU GETTING ME?**

**Me: I PRACTICALLY CREATED A GIRLFRIEND FOR YOU. WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?**

**Matt: Well....All I want for christmas....IS YOUUUUUUU....._ladies~_**

**Me: Now that's just pitiful.**

**Me: ANYWAY, I got a lot of reviews based on Fee's past from the last chapter:**

**TheEvilMuffinToaster: **L needs to arrive and kick some major arse right now! I know! L should team up with Elmo (Elmo is amazing!) and kick Linda's arse and kick her out of Wammy's! Fee does not deserve this. If you had to pick on someone: Pick on Mello. Afterall he was mistaken for a girl by a forty year old XD

**Me: HAHAHAHHAHA NOBODY LIKES YOU, MELLO!**

**Mello: GET A LIFE. **

**Me: Also, NOW PEOPLE ARE SAYING THEY'LL DRAW SOME FANART OF FEE AND YOU GUYS. ISN'T THAT SEXY??**

**Amaya-Ai: **OMG Just cuz you mentioned it, I really wanna draw Fee now! xD

**Kishi_Senmatsu: **OMG I would totally draw that picture Matt reccomended, but 1) Mello would get all PMSy at me 2) My Mother would be mentally scarred for all of forever. I'll just stick to drawing Fee and if it doesn't look like I threw a piece of crap through a fan or something maybe Matt with her. Who knows.

**Sundae_Bunny: **Anyways, I finished drawing and coloring the picture. Next time I go to my friend's house I'll scan it onto my computer, but it might be a week before you get it :)

**Me: Besides fanart, I've even gotten the gift of MY OWN FRIGGIN' PLAYLIST. WITH THEME SONGS FOR CHARACTERS. AND EVEN I HAVE A THEME SONG.**

**xxxDoro-Dashixxx: **I have deemed this story both amazing and Magnificent! So I believe, each character (Sans Linda, she's not cool enough) to have an opening and ending theme song. These songs are from TheEvilMuffinToaster's Ipod, Krell,(She names her electronnics)which I swiped when I came over and if she reads this, she'll most likely scream what she had for breakfast in Spanish at me through her computer.

Mello: "Welcome to Chaos" by Son of Rust.  
"Livin' La Vida Loca" by Ricky Martin.

Fee: "Doubt and Trust" by Access  
"Tsunaida te ni Kiss wo." Sanae Kobayashi.

Matt: "Fireflies" by Owlcity  
"I got a Jar of Dirt" Captain Neon remix

Misseh(Your amazing, screw Mello, exploding is epic):  
"ANGELUS" by Hitomi Shimatani.  
"Ievan Polkka" by Vocaloid (Song makes no sense, but it reminds me of yourself)

Near(Even though he's been introduced once, he still gets a song):  
"Counting Bodies Like Sheep in the rhythm of the War Drums." by a Perfect Circle  
"Lacrimosa" by Kalafina (Stupid Sarah XD She got me addicted to Kuroshitsuji)

Hey Mello...  
I have a surprise for you..  
Wait for it...  
...-explodes-...

**Me: LOL, EVERYONE HATES MELLO. I DECLARE TODAY "NATIONAL PICK ON MELLO DAY." Therefore, he shall now do the disclaimer xD**

**Mello: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. She does, however, own the OC, Fee. Chapter inspired by TheEvilMuffinToaster's idea to introduce L. On a side note: The name of the chapter is spelled wrong PURPOSEFULLY. The actual word is Pandemonium, which means "a state of extreme confusion." And I hope you all fall into a hole, in which I wil proceed to dump gasoline down that hole and then set a flamethrower to it. THE FRIGGIN' END.  
**

* * *

Eight: Panda-monium

When the average height of a seven year old is no more than 4 feet, attempting to look over large crowds is often proved to be a struggle. Stand tall or be trampled; the choice was often obvious, if considered a choice at all.  
"This_ sucks,_" Fee whined, tapping her foot impatiently. "Ever since this morning, there's been nothing but a huge commotion down here, and we can't even see it!"

Mello grunted, munching into a brand new chocolate bar. "I don't blame anyone for being excited, especially with the news of _who_ is causing the commotion."  
"Nobody asked you, Willy."  
"Shut up, Fee," the blonde growled back. He broke off another piece of his chocolate, continuing his train of thought. "Y'know…I think_ L_ might be on his way here."

Matt perked up from being completely absorbed in one of his games. "L? As in the detective? Wow…"

"Who cares," Fee snarled. "Everyone thinks he's _so_ great; he's _so_ admirable. Honestly, he's just a weirdo with a big head." She nodded as though to approve of herself, while crossing her arms in pride. Mello stared at her as though she had lost what was left of, if there was any to start with, her sanity, while Matt just quirked a brow. After a while, the redhead smirked with realization.

"Fee, are you_ jealous_ because L might be weirder than you?"  
"N-No! Shut up, Matt!"  
"Make me."  
"Shut it or-"

Just as Fee was about to continue, the familiar creak of the entrance door to the orphanage reverberated throughout the room. In an automatic reaction, the crowd surged forward; dashing to meet their beloved detective. The trio became lost in the sea of orphans, and were inevitably separated.

"F-Fee? Mello?" Matt called out in the crowd. He squeezed through the tight spaces between bodies, looking around frantically for his friends. He spotted Fee in the front, looking as though she struggled to breathe in a situation that would make even the mildest of claustrophobics unimaginably terrified.

Reaching out, Matt managed to grab her arm, pulling her close to him protectively. "It's 'kay, we just need to find Mello now," he said in her ear. She squirmed, conflicted as to how to feel about the closeness between them.

Then, just as soon as the crowd became excited, it dulled to an almost immediate silence. Fee and Matt found themselves the center of the gathering; completely surrounded by orphans who stared and judged. Matt held onto Fee more tightly, to cloak his own insecurity with false bravery.

Meanwhile, Fee was busy staring upward at a skyscraper. A skyscraper, that is, with dark rimmed eyes, an explosion of jet-black hair, and a lollipop in its mouth. "It" stared back down at her; unblinking, unfazed, and acting just like a computer analyzing data.

"….Aren't you two a little too young to be groping?" "It" spoke.  
"Aren't you a little old to still be eating lollipops?" Fee retaliated, curling her hands into fists while crinkling the fabric of Matt's shirt in the process.  
"…Touché."

"It" bent down to Fee's level, moving to stare at her from an uncomfortable distance away from her face. She crinkled her nose, pulling Matt in front of her like a human shield. Picking the boy up like an object, he nonchalantly placed him off to the side and continued to stare at Fee. To Matt and the remaining orphans, the scene was playing out like a movie without a plot; able to change at any moment.

"…I am L," "It" stated, licking the lollipop.  
"I'm Fee the Magnificently Magnificent. It's an honor for you to meet me, Mr. L," she replied, watching him carefully.  
"Most would be unwise to say such a thing around me, actually. Your way of thinking is….without any sort of pattern. It intrigues me."  
"I don't care how 'intriguing' you find me. Last time I checked, child molestation is illegal, and you would be wise to respect my personal space before some accusations are made."

Jaws dropped simultaneously; the entire room was flabbergasted at how casually and almost disrespectfully she was behaving. Meanwhile, L acted with simple indifference, and if anything, he was amused. He swiftly swooped in and scooped her up in a heartbeat, causing her to squeak in surprise.

"Let go, you beast!" she protested, pounding her small fists against his back. Smirking triumphantly, L started to run off awkwardly, carrying Fee over his shoulder. She glanced up, eyes wide as she looked right at Matt.

"Matt! What are you standing there for?! Don't let me get kidnapped!" she yelled. The boy immediately broke into a sprint, chasing after her as fast as his legs could take him. After a few moments, the stunned crowd behind him took his incentive; before Matt knew it, he was the leader of a stampede, all in a wild chase after the world's most famous detective, and the world's only Magnificently Magnificent Fee.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

Narrowed cerulean eyes gazed into pools of black, as though to search for signs of life from deep within the dullness. L tilted his head, staring right back; searching also for signs of where the tracks to her train of thought may have began, or even ended.

"Y'know, if you wanted to challenge me to a staring contest, you didn't need to kidnap me. Now we're locked here in this room with all of Wammy's pressed up against the door," she complained, motioning towards the entryway. L reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag of Teddy Grahams with two fingers, opening the package and eating each one by one.

"That's not why I brought you here. I find it's easier to think without all eyes on you. Besides, I wished to interview you and predicted that everyone else's presence may have made you uncomfortable."

Fee frowned, crossing her legs in a pretzel-style from her seat on the floor. "What are you, Oprah? I'm not so interesting."

L munched on another Teddy Graham. "You actually…remind me somewhat of myself when I was younger. You don't fit in with the scheme of things, meaning you're just cut out for something greater. These children here most likely won't accept that, and if anything, they'll either try to outshine you or dull you down. Never let it happen; it only lessens your potential."

Fee blinked, unsure of how to react. She shrugged slightly, hunching her shoulders forwards. "I guess so…but that's not answering my question. That's just getting all nostalgic."

"I can't read you. That makes you interesting by my standards. Now, does_ that_ answer satisfy you?"

Fee smirked, inching closer to stare into the detective's face. L inched backwards, curious. "What is it now? Is there something on my face?"

"Yeah. I'm wondering where all the color went, Mr. Panda."

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Matt's cheek was pressed up against the wood of the door, listening intently for the sound of Fee's voice. However, over the chattering of the crowd pushing from behind him, he couldn't hear a thing. He felt someone's elbow jut into his ribs, and he turned to see Mello standing beside him.

"M-Mello! There's no way inside from here; the door's locked," he explained, yelling over the crowd.  
"Thank you, Captain Obvious. Anything else you'd like to report?" the blonde snorted, shifting against the wall of bodies that seemed to be closing in. Searching frantically for an escape, Mello looked around at all corners of the doorway and surrounding frame. While examining the ceiling, he noticed something glimmer in the light: the metallic gate to a vent.

"Matt, follow my lead. I know a way in," he shouted, grabbing the boy's arm.

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_One….Two….Three!_

On his final count, Matt pressed against the vent gate, causing it to collapse beneath him. He fell from the ceiling vent and tumbled on the floor, groaning in pain as Mello soon followed and used him to cushion his fall. Once he regained full awareness, Matt looked up to see Fee sitting on L's chest while she painted his face, completely carefree. The detective lay motionlessly on the floor, eyes closed.

"OH MY GOD. Fee, if you killed L, Roger will take your paints away for, like, _ever_," he blurted, staring with wide eyes at the girl who continued to color.

"_Take away her paints?_ Roger will do more than that if L is dead, you idiot!"

Matt scrambled to his feet, grabbing fistfuls of his hair. "Great, now we have to find a place for the body, think of new names…"

"Would you boys_ relax_? I didn't friggin' kill the man. Panda is fine; if anything, I just made him pretty," she declared, putting the last dabs of paint of his face before L's eyes fluttered open.  
"Finished, then?"  
"Yes, Panda. You can get up now."

Fee rolled off the detective to lie face-down on the floor, giggling. L bounced back up to his regular position; knees huddled closely to his chest. Matt stuck out his lower lip, glaring at the blue-haired girl who lay flat on the floor. "So I went through all that trouble for _nothing_? Also, not to mention that now even _L_ has a cool nickname!"

"If it's any consolation, I'd rather not be called a portly relative of the bear family native to China."  
"Nobody asked for your opinion, Panda," Fee spat, silencing him.

The entrance to the room suddenly shook; the mob outside becoming more and more impatient. L glanced at all three children, sighing. "I think it would be safe if you all left. They'll break in soon enough, and I prefer my possible future successors unfastened, thank you very much," he said bluntly, pointing up at the open vent.

With L's boost, each of the children filed into the vent, vanishing in its darkness. After L gave the last push to help Fee up, he raised a hand to his face to smear the paint Fee had put on.

"….There is a thirty percent chance this is permanent, or at least difficult to wash off…..dammit."

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Matt held his arms upward, waiting expectantly. "C'mon, Fee! We don't have all day."  
"I'm going to fall and break my skull, and if that happens, I blame you."  
"I'll catch you! Hurry up!"

Fee waited a few moments inside the vent, reluctant to jump. Matt wiggled his fingers, bidding her down. Finally, she inched down the exit way from the vent and let go, falling onto Matt and sending them both crashing into the floor.

"O-Ow….See? I got you," he mumbled while his arms were would around her. She sat silently, looking up to see Linda looming over them.

"_You_," she hissed, hands placed on both her hips. "I don't get it. After all this time, you still have them….and even _L_ chose you! I don't understand!"

Fee sat unresponsively, lost in her own thoughts.  
_'They'll try to outshine you or dull you down. Never let that happen; it only lessens your potential.'_  
Everything clicked.

Getting up, Fee brushed herself off, taking Matt by the hand soon afterward. He turned the color of tomatoes; an extreme compared to the slight shade of pink Fee wore on her cheeks.

"You'll have to excuse me, Piggy, but Matt, Mello and I are going to sneak out and get away from all the commotion."  
"I'll tell Roger on you!"

Fee broke into a grin, tugging Matt with her as she marched forward. "Go right ahead. _I'm not afraid of you anymore."_

And so, the Queen's throne cracked as her ego crumbled, while the lowly "subject" couldn't help but smile.

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Fee rolled around in the crunching leaves of Fall, with Matt and Mello laying on the ground nearby. She continued to roll until she bumped into Matt's shoulder; from there, she lay still.

"Today was strange….I liked it," she concluded, lacing her fingers together behind her head. Matt lolled his head to the side, watching her stare at the sky.

"Does that mean you changed your opinion of L?"

Cerulean eyes wandered over to the towering structure that was Wammy's to find a figure looking down at them from one of the windows. By looking closely, Fee saw it to be none other than "Panda" himself, keeping a watchful eye. Once he noticed Fee staring up at him from below, he put his hand over his eyes and walked away.

"WE'RE NOT GROPING!" she screamed up at him, making Matt jump in surprise. Turning her attention back to the said redhead, Fee sighed contently.

"Panda is okay. He's got a pretty decent Fee level, but he's not as amazing everyone claims him to be."  
"You're a terrible liar."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Move over so I can use you as a pillow," she mumbled, resting her head on Matt's chest. He was petrified; barely breathing, at that.  
"Goodnight," she said quietly.  
"Don't die in your sleep, Fee," Mello said "kindly", turning over to get some shut eye as well.

"…..l-love y-you," Matt blurted.  
Fee stopped breathing.

* * *

"_At first, when I see you cry, it makes me smile. Yeah, it makes me smile. At worst, I feel bad for a while, but then I just smile. I go ahead and smile..." _-"Smile" by Lily Allen.

* * *

**A/N: CLIFFIE. MAJOR CLIFFIE. Wow writing this chapter felt strange to me...LOL.**

**Matt: I'M SO HOT.**

**Me: SURE, KEEP TELLING YOURSELF THAT. Anyway, I have some more good news: I HAVE SEEN LEXY (Mayu_Koizumi), AND I CAN ASSURE YOU, SHE IS NOT A ROCK. We are besties; tighter than Mello's pants, and plotting our story is well under way. Check out InferiorInspiration whenever you get the chance~**

**Mello: STOP ADVERTISING, NOBODY WANTS TO SEE THAT KIND OF SHIT.**

**Matt: HEAD ON: APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE FOREHEAD. HEAD ON: APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE FOREHEAD. HEAD ON: APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE FOREHEAD. HEAD ON....  
**


	9. Nine: Speak No Evil

**Me: MELLO MY ADORING ANIME HUSBAND, I AM SO SORRY ;3;**

**Mello: OH WTF DID YOU DO NOW??**

**Me: Well, the reviewers reminded me, but....I TOTALLY FORGOT YOUR BIRTHDAY WAS ON DECEMBER 13th THE LAST UPDATE. I AM SUCH A TERRIBLE WIFE ;____;**

**Mello: FOR THE LAST TIME, YOU ARE NOT MY FRIGGIN' WIFE!!!**

**Matt: YOUNG LADY, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF. GOODNESS, FORGETTING WILLY'S BIRTHDAY LIKE THAT!**

**Me: *crawls into the Emo Corner of the Internet***

**Matt: *ahem* THEN I SUPPOSE IT IS TIME FOR ME TO TAKE THE LEAD AND FEATURE SOME REVIEWS:**

**Kishi_Senmatsu: **Okay, I started the designing of Fee. I have 2 versions, I will scan them tomorrow for you. I want you to tell me which one you prefer. xD I literally just got up and write "National pick on Mello day" On the 12th of december on my calender...which also happens to be hannukah. o.o

**Me: *yelling from the corner* LOLOLOL. MELLO, I TOTALLY DIDN'T KNOW YOU CELEBRATED HANUKKAH! HOOK ME UP!**

**Mello: I WEAR A CROSS! I DO NOT CELEBRATE HANUKKAH!**

**Matt: Personally, I celebrate Christmakwanukkah, which could be illegal in some states ^^**

**Me: Yeah, sure thing, Matt. AND BTW, ZOMG I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THE FANART. Also, a shout out to Xxloves_his_golden_eyesxX who showed me some of her fanart as well! :D**

**sakura1243: **Ah. L.

He's a voyeuristic, child molesting, sugar addicted, insomniac infected, weirdo-o, freak of a, sexy beast-y nerdy, super genius-y, perverted man.

And we love him anyways.

. . . What is wrong with our generation?

**Me: THIS GENERATION IS *THE* GENERATION, WHOM I LIKE TO CALL "THE AWESOMESAUCE LEAGUE". WE WRITE FANFICTION, MARRY ANIME CHARACTERS, ARE ALL PERVERTED, AND DEFY THE LAWS OF PHYSICS AND/OR GRAVITY. And you're all a part of it. BE PROUD.**

**ShyandNotAfraid: **YOU GO FEE! SHOW LINDAS WHOS BOSS! and then sleep on matt.

:3

and matt all i want for Christmas is you so yea, come hither...

and mello im sorry but yes ppl love to pick on you its because of your wonderful ability to pms 24/7 its amusing so deal :D

**Matt: THAT IS THE SEXIEST REVIEW IN THE WORLD. Now I just have to find Fee, strap her to me, and wait until she falls asleep :D**

**Me: O.e Um...right then. MELLO, DO THE DISCLAIMER.**

**Mello: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. She does, however own the OC, Fee.**

**Me: WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS A MAJOR TIME SKIP.  
**

* * *

Nine: Speak No Evil

She had an ego.

She always knew it, but never had she admitted it. After all, why would she, unless otherwise put into a situation to? There were other more important matters to tend to other than to name a list of her own faults.

Besides, if she did that, that god-awful corner would just grow to an astronomical size, and she'd probably need a bigger room. That, in turn, would make Roger rather annoyed….which would make her happy, but for the wrong reasons….Not to say that she ever did _anything_ for the right reasons, anyway.

Going back on topic: She had an ego.

Inside that small and battered 7 year-old body was a the mind of a feisty, egotistical maniac who refused to let herself be battered any longer. However, this term of being "battered" needs further explanation.

Physically, her body was a shell; just a shield for her spirit. By killing her physically, it didn't matter; as far as she cared, she would live.

However, she could never withstand another blow to the heart. Her heart was mangled, and the stitches would not hold forever.

While she normally wasn't the clearest of thinkers, on that day, the most logical thing to do was walk away. On that day, those three words that were uttered were like a siren to run away, for the sake of her life.

On that day, she marched off in silence. On that matter, silent was how she remained for 6 years to follow.

On that day, Matt took Fee's breathe away, and she never got it back.

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He had insecurities.

He was well aware of it, but he also had nothing to worry about. After all, there were always his Masks; they did a damn good job of hiding these insecurities, for the most part. Happiness, Charm, and, the one most commonly used, Utter Confusion; all were masks put up to hide his shameful insecurities. When putting on a mask was too exhausting, he simply had to bury his nose into another video game.

But _she_ was different.

_She_ saw right through those masks. He was an open book, and she was a reader who easily became bored with the plot. His fascination with her made him willing to do anything; _anything_ to "keep her reading." Whatever it took, he would at least attempt it. He _needed_ to know what on earth it was that could keep her attention.

However, the thing about her was that, well….she was_ herself_. Only he could understand her, but at the same time, she was a complete mystery. He tripped over himself to keep her interest, and most of the time, he was just a quiet observer.

Not Willy. Not Fee the Magnificently Magnificent. Not Piggy. Not Panda.  
He was just Matt to her, but he always wanted so much more.

To be so young and so fascinated in just one girl set something off in his brain. He couldn't walk next to her without wanting to reach out and touch her; he couldn't hug her without his face turning red; he couldn't talk to her unless he wanted to clumsily let those three words slip.

He was in a cage, and she held the keys.

On that day, however, he broke out from that cage. He had the final straw; the bomb had gone off the moment she curled up next to him. The words slipped out, but were lost in the wind as she got up and walked away. For 6 years to follow, he hadn't let those words slip out again.

On that day, Matt knew he had truly fallen for Fee, and since then, he had never gotten up.

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_"Get off me!"_  
"No way! You're almost done, anyway!"  
"You're such a bother!"  
"Your _mom's_ a bother. Now hold still!"

Matt opened the door to his room to find Mello and Fee wrestling on the floor. Both stopped momentarily to stare at Matt, then went right back into combat mode. Matt sighed as he attempted to pry them apart; something he had grown used to.

"Okay, what is it now?"  
"That crazy bitch tried to put mascara on me!"  
"Watch your mouth or I'll wash it out with soap, young man," Matt warned, putting a hand on his hip femininely and assuming a motherly role. "Now, Fee, explain yourself."

Fee smirked, rolling her eyes as though her reasoning was obvious. "Well, I just wanted to see if Willy would really look better as a girl. You're quite stupid sometimes, Matt."

Matt put a finger to his chin, thinking things through. He faced Mello, putting a hand on his shoulder as though he were about to announce a death in the family. "Sorry, Mel, but I have to go with Fee on this one."  
"Oh, fuck it, there's no point in even _explaining_ my side to you. You always side with Fee, anyway!"

Matt's teeth clenched almost simultaneously with his grip on Mello's shoulder, making the blonde wince slightly. Fee put her hands on her hips triumphantly, glaring at Mello. "Well, Matt is wise by siding with me, nonetheless. After all, I made him into the Fee kind of person he is today…not to mention if he didn't side with me I'd draw on his face while he slept."

Matt groaned in annoyance, rolling his eyes. "I'll have you know I was _always_ Fee, but just didn't show it."  
"Keep telling yourself that, Matt," she teased, patting his shoulder. With that, she sauntered out of the room, unknowing of Matt's gaze watching her matured frame sway the entire way.

"….Why don't you just tell her?"

Matt's head snapped towards Mello, giving him a look of shock. "_W-What?_ Why would I do that?"

"Well, it's kind of obvious, dude. And your right hand won't satisfy you forever."  
"You're perverted," the redhead spat, walking towards his bed to sit himself down. "….Besides, you know that I already told her once, and she just-"  
"Yeah, but that was _6 years ago_. If you could do it when you were seven, but you can't now, that's kind of sad."  
"I didn't even_ mean_ to, then!" he said, throwing his arms up exasperatedly. "Now she just acts as though it never happened."

Mello shook his head, taking small steps towards the door. "Whatever. I don't have time to deal with your problems, anyway. Good luck with that," he murmured. Matt frowned, letting himself fall backwards onto his bed and sink into the mattress, just like he was sinking in his own distress.  
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

"It's all your fault, Panda."  
_"Yes, that's the one thousand and sixteenth time you have reminded me."_  
"And don't you forget it!" Fee shouted, rolling around on the floor while L watched bemusedly via a laptop webcam.

_"I understand that you blame your troubles on me, but I don't see what I have to do with your confusion with this boy."_  
"He is not a _boy_; he is Matt. I blame you because you were there that day, and also because you're Panda."  
_"Your reasoning is highly flawed."_  
"If I remember correctly, that was exactly why you found me so interesting long ago. Now, in order for you to be a proper role model to your favorite pupil, you must provide me with good advice."  
_"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly the most socially educated man on earth."_

Fee groaned, burying her face in her hands. "You're telling me. I draw on walls, for God's sake."  
_"Well, I may not be extremely social, but I can still look at this from a logical perspective. For one thing, you're leaving him in the first place is quite perplexing."  
_  
Fee peeked through her fingers to stare at the detective, quirking a brow. "I was young and stupid. At the same time, my decision was logical in every sense."  
_"You obviously regret it, so how was it logical?"_

"Because….Because he didn't mean it! He couldn't have," she said, her voice quieting to a small whisper. "I'm not lovable. If you were to assess my level of lovability, I'm the equivalent of a teddy bear filled with knives attached to a bomb."  
_"That's perhaps the most pessimistic thing I've heard, coming from you. Also, have you ever thought that maybe he loved his knife-filled, bomb-riddled teddy bear just the way she was?"_  
"Now that's just _crazy_."

L chuckled, leaning forward to switch off his webcam. _"Well, I must be going now. I have other matters to attend to. Good luck with that,"_ he said, moments before he signed off.

Fee pouted, slamming her laptop closed in frustration. "Psh…stupid Panda…"

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Mello stared into the laptop screen; L staring right back at him. Both sat in silence as Mello worked up the nerve to speak.  
"L-L….I need your help," Mello stuttered feebly. L nodded, taking out a large lollipop from his pocket. _"Proceed, Mello."_

"…How would one go about making a girl fall in love with him?"  
_"Mello, are you asking me for love advice?"_  
"Not for me, for Matt! He likes someone, but is too much of a wimp to say it. She feels the same way, but she's too stubborn to admit it. Meanwhile, I'm stuck in between."  
_  
"You must be speaking of Fee and Matt, then."_  
"Yes, it's getting pretty annoying."

L licked his lollipop, thinking for a moment. When he finally came up with an idea, he held out a thumbs up to the screen.  
_  
"You needn't worry, I have come up with an idea you can try."_

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Fee yanked at the blindfold tied around her head in discomfort. She felt Mello push her from behind, urging her to keep walking.  
"Where the heck are you taking me, Willy?"  
"You'll see."  
"Not with this blindfold, I won't!"  
"Oh, just shut up and keep walking."

Once Mello had pulled Fee to a stop, she felt him push her down harshly so that she fell on the floor. She yelped in both surprise and pain as she landed on all fours. The ground felt soft and uneven between her fingers…

_It's almost like…grass? I'm outside? What for?_

"Alright, Willy, spill it! Just what did you bring me here for?" she demanded, sitting upright to tug on the blindfold. Her efforts to take it off proved of no avail, much to her displeasure.  
"Willy, take this damned blindfold off!" she demanded. However, she heard no answer from the blonde. After a few moments, she felt someone sit down on the ground in front of her, remaining absolutely silent.

"Willy, what are you being so mysterious for?" she asked, continuing to claw at the blindfold. Once again, she heard no answer, but felt a pair of hands wrap gently around her wrists. She held her breathe, confused as to what exactly was going on.

The pair of hands moved from curling around her wrists to filling the spaces between her fingers. Both she and the unknown person remained this way for what seemed like an eternity in the stillness of the tense silence.

Fee opened her mouth to speak again, but found herself unable to as those mysterious hands reached up towards her face. Warm fingers trailed from her cheek down to her jaw line as the person inched forward. Inch after inch, she felt this person get closer and closer until a pair of chapped lips brushed up against hers, clumsily and full of inexperience. Those same lips pulled back for a moment, only to speak against hers.

"…I…can't tell you. I can't stand to have you see right through me, only to be crushed again like before….I may not say it, but…you should know I never stopped."

With that, she felt the person take off running, leaving her sitting on the ground in disbelief.

"…..Matt….," she whispered.

* * *

"_No, you girls will never know, oh no, you girls will never know. No, you girls will never know how you make a boy feel..._" -"No You Girls" by Franz Ferdinand.

* * *

**A/N: OKAY I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT HOW PROUD I WAS OF THE SONG CHOICE. 'Cuz I think it matches perfectly with the chapter. ^^**

**Mello: NOBODY CARES.**

**Me: I DO. Oh, and by the way, Mello, since your birthday is just a little bit before Christmas, THAT MEANS I'M ONLY GETTING YOU ONE GIFT. SUCKS TO BE YOU~**

**Mello: -__-**

**Matt: All the ladies will be meeting me under the mistletoe for Christmas~**

**Mello: ORLY? I DON'T THINK SO:**

**Ebony_Dagger: **right well, this story is hilarious so far *the little random ANs)  
but the story is really fascinating and Fee is an interesting character  
Can you tell her hi and tell Matt to stop being scarily weird and flirty; i though Mello was the womanizer...

**Matt: .............. *explodes***

**Mello: BAHAHAHAHAHAHHAA!**

**Me: MATT GET YOUR OWN IDEA. EXPLODING IS *MY* THING. Anyway, don't worry Matt, I'm sure the ladies will forgive you for your strangeness. AS FOR YOU, MELLO, YOU COULD LEARN A THING OR TWO FROM MATT. GET WITH THE WOMANIZING!**

**Mello: OH WHAT THE HELL.  
**


	10. Ten: Drowning

**Me: I am an idiot.**

**Mello: LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, WE HAVE AN EPIPHANY. **

**Me: STFU, I WASN'T FINISHED! I'm saying I'm an idiot because I haven't really taken the time to check my email thoroughly until recently. It was then that I was basically attacked with AN ONSLAUGHT OF AWESOMENESS FROM ALL THE FANART I GOT. I'd like to thank the following for sending things in: Kishi_Senmatsu, TheEvilMuffinToaster (I LOVED THE DESIGN OF FEE'S DOOR. I LOLED, AND IT WAS JUST MADE OF AWESOME, BTW), and also, someone else who sent in art that was actually REALLY GOOD and close to Fee's actual design, but I didn't get your name as to what you go by here on FF. Please let me know! If anyone has any more art, send it in! I'd love to see it. ^^**

**Matt: I VOTE FOR MORE SEXY ART OF ME. Because EVERYONE would enjoy that..._ladies~_**

**Me: MATT, ALL YOU WANT IS PEOPLE TO BASICALLY DRAW PORN OF YOU, SO STFU PERVERT. By the way, if anyone is interested, I'll be putting up a link to a picture I drew of what Fee actually looks like soon.**

**Matt: *drools***

**Me: MATT, BTW, YOUR LADIES MAN SKILLS HAVE BEEN CHALLANGED:**

**x-Malicious-Me-x: **I DIDN'T REVIEW THE LAST CHAPTER!! *sobs* Was cute, though :3

Anyway... MATT!! YOU REALLY FOUND IT NECESSARY TO BLINDFOLD AND PRACTICALLY TIE DOWN A GIRL TO BE ABLE TO KISS HER?!?

And you say you're good with the ladies. Pfft.

**Matt: ........NOOOOOOOOOO! **

**Mello: BAHAHAHAHA! WOULD YOU LIKE SOME ICE FOR THAT BURN?**

**TheEvilMuffinToaster: **If Fee and Matt keep running away I'm going to get chains of steel and tie them up to a cross and stab them with pens until they admit their undying love for each other.

**Me: THAT PLAN IS FOOLPROOF. I VOTE TO HAVE IT CARRIED OUT IN THE CASE THAT MATT WIMPS OUT AGAIN.**

**Mello: LOL VOTE SECONDED.**

**Matt: -_- Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. She does, however, own the OC, Fee.  
**

**Me: AND NOW, A WORD FROM OUR SPONSORS, "TOOTSIE POPS." When asked about how many licks it took to get to the center of a tootsie pop, Amaya-Ai went and said:**

**Amaya-Ai: **Anyway, I'll just have you know something, right when it said "L licked his lollipop" I was just like YES!

**Me: LOLOLOL YAY PERVERSION! **

**Matt: ARE YOU IN GOOD HANDS? And L approves of this message.  
**

**

* * *

**

Ten: Drowning

Tears.

They burned her bright ceruleans as they trickled down from her eyes and across the length of her reddened cheeks. She wiped them away with an intense fury, but it only lead to more tears being born.

However, it was not the tears that made her angry.

Fee sniffed, turning to look at that familiar dark corner. She glanced at the sharpie held tightly in her hand, eyes narrowed. For a moment, she was so tempted; but, instead, she chose to throw the sharpie across the room with all her strength, watching as it hit the wall hard.  
_  
Who knew…Who knew that tears and joy could ever go hand in hand…_

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She never knocked; it was sort of her signature. Always, she would simply invite herself in. He'd grown used to quirks such as these; in fact, he'd grown to love them.  
_Love…  
And she rejected it._

"….M-Matt?"

The redhead was drawn back to reality by the sound of her voice. He turned his gaze away from the screen of his DS that he held to look at her, standing awkwardly in the doorway. Even from a distance, he could see her eyes and the area surrounding them were red.

_It's like she rubbed them raw. Was she…crying? Why would she--_

"Uh, Matt?" she repeated, waving to get his attention again. She crossed her arms across her chest as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "I know….I know what you did."

Matt quirked a brow, adjusting his goggles. "Oh, do you really? What, do you expect me to be in a total state of shock right now?"  
"Well, aren't you just deliciously sarcastic."  
"Delicious? Yes. Sarcastic? Why, whoever gave you_ that_ ridiculous idea?"

Fee snorted, taking small strides towards where he sat on the floor of his room. "Don't play coy with me, boy. I know where you live, and I own a large array of markers."  
"Bring it."

Fee stuck out her lower lip, displeased at Matt's sudden "insubordination." Her eyes wandered to stare at the seat next to him on the floor; her expression full of longing. He smirked slightly, setting his DS down in that exact spot.

"So, care to explain your visit?"  
"Care to explain how one could steal my first kiss while blindfolded, then start acting like a complete ass soon afterwards?" she hissed in response. His smirk soon flipped downwards into a frown, eyes marked with slight shame.

"Matt…the reason I never responded to you back then was because I was afraid; afraid that it was just a joke. It's impossible to love such….such a _thing_ that I am, and I didn't honestly believe you."

"You didn't_ believe_ me? A _seven_ year old had enough sense to sort out his feelings and know he loved someone; yet, it took you _six years afterwards_ to finally get some brains?!"  
"And what about now? Six years later, I'm mature enough to at least admit my mistake, while you're just acting like a stubborn _brat_!"

Matt's jaw clenched, both pain and rage boiling up inside of him. "I've loved you for six years without anything in return. I always kept my mouth shut because you 'didn't believe me.' Putting a band aid on it isn't enough!"

"I've always loved you the same for six years, and I'm sorry! Is _that_ enough, your highness?!" she screeched. She hastily reached into her sweater pocket and pulled out a rose, moving then to throw it at his face. She stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Matt bit his lower lip, delicately picking the rose up from where it had fallen on his lap. Attached to the stem was a small card, which read:

_**Matt:**_

I was told by a great wise man that roses were, in fact, red, and that violets were blue, like my hair. As a rebuttal, I'd like to say this:  
Violets are blue,  
Roses are red,  
And if your hair isn't too, then I'll dye it while you're in bed.

By the way, I love you.

-Fee the Magnificently Magnificent.

As Matt read over each and every word, his heart sank lower and lower until he was sure it was level with the floor. His hands trembled as he fruitlessly attempted to hold the note and the rose steady.

"Goddamn it…. Just damn it all…."

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"Can I go?"  
"No."  
"Can I go…now?"  
"No."  
"Can I go now…please?"  
"_No_."

Mello rolled his eyes, wallowing in self pity. "This is ridiculous, Matt. If she wouldn't let you in through the front door, what makes you think breaking in through her window is any better?"  
Matt waved the testy blonde's comment away, turning his attention back to counting the windows on the outside of the walls of the orphanage.

"Matt, for all you know, she could have bolted the window shut."  
"I don't think I asked you to come out here so that I could hear you bitch and complain. Now, are you going to help me look or not?"

The chocoholic sighed, lifting a finger to point at one of the windows. "Fifth row, third column. That one should be hers."  
"How did you-"  
"It's the only window with all kinds of paint spattered all over it. Seriously, Matt; with judgment skills like yours, sometimes I question just how the hell you're still third."

Matt scoffed, focusing his attention on the multicolored window. _How the hell am I supposed to get her attention? _

"Rocks."  
"Huh?"  
Mello rolled his eyes again, bending down to grab a handful of pebbles from the earth beneath his feet. "If you need to get her attention, the romance-y thing to do is to throw pebbles at her window."

"I'm amazed you know all this stuff, but you still don't have a girlfriend."  
"Unlike you, I'm willing to wait to find a girl that _isn't_ criminally insane."  
"Good luck with that."

Grabbing the pebbles from Mello's hands, Matt began to heave them upward at Fee's window. After many tries gaining no reaction, Matt took in a deep breathe. Cautiously, Mello took a few steps back, unsure of what the boy was about to do.

"….BABY COME BACK, YOU CAN BLAME IT ALL ON ME. I WAS WRONG, AND I JUST CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOU," he sang at the top of his lungs. Mello covered his ears, snickering to himself.

After what felt like half an hour of Matt singing/screaming the lyrics, that multicolored window was practically thrown open as Fee leaned out of it, eyes narrowed as she stared at the two boys on the ground.

"Matt, do us all a favor and shut up! You'll attract cats with your dreadful singing!" she yelled down at him. Matt broke into a grin, relieved to have finally drawn her outside.

"You know you like it!"  
"Get off my property!"  
"I can stand outside all I want!"  
"NO! I practically live in all those bushes, so get OUT of my house!"

With those as her parting words, Fee slammed her window shut, leaving Matt and Mello in silence. Mello quirked a brow as he crossed his arms expectantly. "Well? What now?"

"Isn't it obvious? Keep trying."

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Mello glanced up nervously at the sky; it's familiar blue covered up by dark gray clouds. He shivered slightly against the wind that blew with a stronger force than before.

"Matt, it's been over five fucking hours! She's not going to come out."  
"You don't know that," Matt snapped back. "We both know she's stubborn."

"I don't care _how_ stubborn she is. It's going to rain soon, and I'm sick of dealing with this crazy bitch. I'm going inside, with or without you," he barked, turning on his heels to march off. Matt watched him go with a slight yearning to follow, but his underlying determination kept his feet planted on the ground. He sighed as he bent down to grab more rocks from the ground; ignoring the first drops of rain he felt on the top of his head.

Rain or shine; day or night. He was going to get Fee's attention, no matter what it took.

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_Eight hours: One and a half spent throwing pebbles, another half spent singing, and the rest spent throwing pebbles in a constant rhythm.  
Does this boy even know the meaning of the word 'stop'?_

Fee lay on the floor; eyes closed as she listened intently to the noises outside. If there was one thing abnormal that she noticed, it was that the constant rhythm of the pebbles hitting her window had stopped ten minutes ago.

She breathed in deeply as she dragged herself towards the window, curious to see what Matt what up to. As she peeked down at the ground, however, she squeaked in surprise.

Lying on the grass, with his arms and legs splayed out as though he was just having a lazy Friday night at home, was Matt; staring up at the sky as he let himself get drenched from head to toe.

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He had to blink a couple of times; just to be sure what he was seeing was real. After all, hours in the rain can really change the normal pattern of thinking.  
Not that Matt's pattern of thinking was ever normal to begin with.

The redhead stared upwards at Fee, who crouched beside his head while she twirled an umbrella in her hands.  
"Is that for me?" he asked, his voice hoarse. She girl gave him a maddened look as though he spoke another language.  
"Don't be ridiculous; it's for the grass, of course," she addressed, placing the umbrella down on the ground. She smiled up at the sky, feeling the rain pelt her skin and clothes.

"Do you like the rain?"  
"Why do you think I always wear blue rain boots?"

Matt lifted himself up to a sitting position; his wet clothes clinging to his skin. Fee smirked as she ruffled his hair, sending water droplets flying.  
"You're like a wet puppy."  
"…I'll take that as a compliment."  
"I love puppies."  
"Now that's _definitely_ a compliment, right?"

For a moment, they both just sat in the rain. Fee daringly leaned forward, taking his lips with her own. His eyes widened with surprise at first, but fluttered closed soon after.  
"…You know what? I never understood why people made such a fuss over 'kissing in the rain'," she remarked, her face still inches away from his. "It's not so special."  
"Then tell me: What's it like?"  
"You of all people should know! You were_ there_!"  
"But I want to know what you have to think!"  
"….Wet."  
"Ooh, kinky."

Fee shoved his shoulder, sending them both toppling over. She lay her head on his chest, sighing contently.  
"Everything will change," he said quietly; carefully running his fingers through her wet hair.  
"And if it doesn't?"  
"Blame 'Panda'."  
"You, sir, have a deal."

* * *

_"I don't mind spending every day out on your corner in the pouring rain. Look for the girl with the broken smile, ask her if she wants to stay a while. And she will be loved..." -_"She Will Be Loved" by Maroon 5


	11. Eleven: Promises

**Me: My reviewers? Fantastic. You know why? Because they are like the ULTIMATE inspiration.**

**Sundae_Bunny: **YAY! They're finally together! :D:D:D:D:D  
Now I'm wondering exactly what's gonna happen in the next chapter :)  
I'm wondering though, are you going to continue into the DN time? *GASP* You can't be thinking of killing off Matt and Mello, can you!? I mean, there's no way Light can win with Fee on their side!  
Or will the fic end before that time, and we'll just assume Fee murders Light by force-feeding him paint?  
Can't wait for the next chapter :)  
PS  
Did you get my pic? It includes Fee in normal clothes, Fee in dress and Fee's sharpie.  
Also, could you please put links to other people's fanart? Want to see more Fee pictures! Yay! The one you put on your profile was really nice too :)

**Me: OKAY, SO OBVIOUSLY I HAVE A LOT TO CLEAR UP--**

**Matt: Unfinished bsns....*clicks gun***

**Me: Erm...Yes. So, here it goes: 1) I've actually been thinking about the future plot of the story for a long time. I've considered actually going out of DN time, and I actually have an idea for a possible plot if I do end up going in that direction. Actually, it would help a lot if I got your (the reviewer)'s opinion. I CLAIM THIS AS AN OFFICIAL POLL: Should I go slightly off DN time, or should I stick to the plot? It would really help if you considered both sides :D**

**Matt and Mello: You're leaving the fate of OUR lives in THEIR hands?!**

**Me: YES. BWAHAHAHHAHAHAA! *ahem* OKAY, TO CONTINUE: 2) OHHH SO THAT PHOTO WITH FEE IN NORMAL CLOTHES AND THE DRESS AND SHARPIES WAS YOURS? OMG NOW I UNDERSTAND! It was REALLY good, and that was the one closest to her actual design before I even put the reference up! :D In fact, I think it's a wonderful idea to post up everyone's fanart! With the artist's permission, I will put up any fanart on my profile. Just mention if you want yours up in your review!**

**Matt: *COUGHCOUGH***

**Me: OH RIGHT, KrAzY-LiTtLe-ImP is the only exception. I hope you know, I'm putting your fanart up with or without your permission, because it is absolutely GORGEOUS and DESERVES to be seen by the world. I encourage all to go to my profile and click on the link I put up, because I pretty much died on the spot when I saw it.**

**Matt: I. LOOK. FRIGGIN'. SEXY. As always..._ladies~_**

**Me: Oh, if I were you, Matt, I'd stop it with the "ladies" stuff:**

**x-Malicious-Me-x: **THIS IS SO CUTE!!

Okay Matt, I take it back. WHat you did there for Fee took guts... But I still have one teensy problem... You're with Fee AND STILL ASKING EVERY CHICK THAT READS THIS TO ** YOU! I would call you names, but we must keep this civil for the littlies' eyes, no?

And yes, I totally agree with the chains and pens idea. MATT BELONGS TO FEE AND FEE ALONE!! (And maybe me on occasion... ^^)

**Matt: B-BUT...B-BUT....I'M THE GODDAMNED LADIES MAN! **

**0o_grimmjow_schiffer_o0: **matt, please stop throwing rocks, what would 'panda' say.

**Matt: WHY IS EVERYONE SCOLDING MEEEEEEEEEEEE ;3;**

**Me: QUIT YOUR CRYING SO YOU CAN DO THE DISCLAIMER.**

**Matt: M-Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters, but she does own the OC, Fee. AND YOU LADIES ARE NOT NICE.**

**Me: Speaking of 'not nice'.....HOLY SHIT WHERE DID MELLO GO???**

**_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
**

Eleven: Promises

She saw them as a sea of eyes; without identity, almost faceless. Their gazes remained locked on her as though she were of an alien kind. She stood out, and was relentlessly unique; therefore, she could never fit in.

Still, he held her hand firm.

"Matt, are you sure?" she whispered, glancing nervously between the boy and the sea of stares. Of course, she wasn't _afraid_; she couldn't care less about these people. However, Matt was a different story.

Yet, he still held her hand firm.

"I told you everything will change. You'd better be ready for it, whether it's for better or for worse," he whispered in return, giving a lopsided smirk while he gave her hand a squeeze. Fee pouted, hanging her head slightly as to hide her burning blush.

"Well, if that doesn't make me want to vomit, I don't know what else would!"

Immediately, Fee's head snapped upward and turned around at the sound of a familiar voice. It sent chills down her spine like nails on a chalk board just to hear it, and to see the person the voice belonged to standing in the cleared hallway only made her stomach churn.

"Well, if it isn't Piggy. I'd recognize your whiny tone anywhere," Fee remarked, moving her hand out of Matt's grasp despite his tightened grip.

Linda puckered her glossed lips, quirking a brow with an expression full of cocky superiority. She walked towards the two until she stood squarely in front of Fee, staring her down with hate.

"I never understood what made Matt and Mello even want to_ tolerate_ you, let alone like you to the level Matt has. I don't care how much time has passed; you're still the second-rate freak you've always been," she hissed, eyes narrowed to slits.

"Well, if it isn't Wammy's most talented artist!"

Fee, along with the rest of the crowd in the halls, found their attention turned the opposite way. People gasped to find that it was their most admired detective was the one who had interrupted the commotion.

Without a second thought, Linda reacted, pushing Fee and Matt aside in order to excitedly run up to L.

"Yes?!" she squeaked, smiling brightly up at the genius.  
L peeked over the pigtailed girl's shoulder. "Oh, terribly sorry, I was addressing the strange blue-haired lady in the back."

Fee found herself grinning as she and Matt walked towards L, full of triumph. "What's with the surprise visit, L?" Matt inquired. L put a finger to his lips, eyes staring off into space. "Oh, nothing really. I'm just making a…last visit. It's obviously become necessary to catch up with you little monsters, seeing what has occurred between you all."

L turned his attention towards Fee. "Come along, now. We've got much to speak about, and not enough time," he mumbled quickly as he began to walk away. Just before Fee followed, she turned around to catch a glimpse of Linda's expression, smirking with delight.

"You just got owned by a Panda. Congratulations," she said happily as she left Linda to wallow in her self defeat.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

Fee kicked her legs off the edge of the bed in boredom, her eyes staring at the ceiling. Finally, the person she had been waiting for slowly stalked into her room; unsure of himself.

"Panda, I'm not going to eat you. Stop acting like you're in a constant defense mode."  
"Your room is quite intimidating to me. I expected you to be more considerate."  
"I also expected _you_ to be less of a pansy, but it seems that we were both wrong."

Awkwardly, "Panda" took a seat on the bed beside her, huddling his knees closely to his chest. He placed his thumb habitually on his lips as his dark eyes stared at Fee. Bright ceruleans wandered over to stare back at him, to which he responded by quickly looking away. This repeated many times in complete silence.

"Well, this has got to be the most constructive conversation I've ever had in my life," she stated sarcastically, rolling over to lie on her stomach.  
"It's not my fault we are both equals in our lack of social etiquette."  
"Yes, it is. I blame everything on you, so therefore, that must also be your fault. Also, speaking of things that are most likely your fault, just where is Matt?"

"I told him you drew a portrait of Narnia inside his closet as a token of your endless love for him. He believed me, and I took that as the perfect opportunity to 'inconspicuously' place a chair against the doors to lock him inside. You see, it was necessary for privacy."

Fee's expression wavered between a look of pride and utter horror. She inched away from the detective, ready for any sudden movements. "M-May I remind you that child molestation is illegal? I am still at the age where I'm a minor."

L rolled his eyes, shifting in his place. "As I've always told you, your reasoning is highly flawed."  
"In any case, you continue to have a fondness for me. Either you're a mega pervert, or you're possibly the only 'adult'", she said, using her fingers to demonstrate air quotes around the word "adult". "…That thinks I'm gifted in any way, shape, or form."

"Fee, though your way of thinking is certainly unorthodox, it doesn't make you wrong. I'm in the middle of a very important case right now, and it's made me come to realize that sometimes it is the most flawed of reasoning that ends up making the most sense."

Fee raised her eyebrows at the news. "A new case?"  
"Yes. I'm getting this feeling that…some sort of conclusion is coming soon. That's actually why I came for a visit, for you see, I may not…be coming back."  
"W-What do you mean? Is this case you have going to absorb that much time?"  
"Yes, you can say that."

Fee frowned, the energy suddenly drained from her. L was quick to notice, and frowned slightly himself.

"Fee, no matter what happens, remember one thing for me, please. The mind is your most powerful weapon against injustice, and the heart is your most resilient shield."  
"Oh, is that so? What if your 'weapon' is quite twisted, and your 'shield' is practically made of glass?"

It was a strange thing, what Fee saw after she said that. Never had she imagined that "Panda" and smiling could ever go together, and yet that is what she was witnessing.

"Well then, I suppose that is what armies are for; they're your safety net, am I correct?"  
"Yeah…but what do you mean by 'armies'? You make it sound like we're in the middle of a war!"

L stood up, leaving Fee to hang on each word as he headed for the door. Just before he exited the room, he looked over his shoulder at the confused blue-haired girl.

"We are in the middle of a war; each of us for different causes. Choose your side wisely, follow my advice, and you will surely prevail."

With that, the man with the most logical reasoning that never seemed to make sense to Fee was gone.

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"Mels, this isn't funny."  
"Oh no, I actually find this quite amusing."  
"Let me out of here! I think Fee may have kidnapped L, and who knows what will happen if I'm not there!"  
"Fee kidnapped L? Are you sure it's not the other way around?"  
"Dude, it's _Fee_. Don't be stupid."

Mello scoffed, taking a seat in the chair placed in front of the closet doors. "Well, this note left on the door from the Panda-Man himself says I have strict orders not to let you out."  
"…He left you chocolate, didn't he?"  
"Shut up; nobody likes you, Matt."

After banging his fists on the door in frustration a few more times, Matt slumped to the floor of the closet, heaving a sigh. "Just when I finally got things right, chaos strikes again."

"Oh, poor you!" Mello mockingly cried in distress, his mouth full of chocolate. "Psh, from my perspective, things are going pretty well for you and Fee. Hell, any time I can manage to keep you away from her is beneficial. You won't get brainwashed so quickly."  
"You're always so negative."

Mello growled, snapping off another piece of chocolate with his teeth. "I have every reason to be. After all, you'll be leaving soon."  
"Leaving? What, is there a field trip no one told me about?"  
"You dumbass, you know just what I'm talking about! Now that you're with Fee, I can just burn in hell."  
"What makes you think that I'd leave?!"

"Because that's what everyone _does_; it's all they ever did!" he hissed. The tension between them fell into silence, creating a void in the conversation.

"You know, you shouldn't associate me with this 'everyone' group. From what you're telling me, they sound like a bad influence, and I wouldn't do anything they did."  
"Now's not the time to be a smart-ass, Matt," the blonde sneered.

"No, I'm serious, Mels. I remember saying a long time ago that friends don't leave any friends behind…or some sappy shit like that," Matt drawled. "I wouldn't leave you like you never mattered."

Mello stared blankly at his half-eaten chocolate bar, turning it in his hand. "…Make me a promise, then. Whatever happens, you'll be my friend; when I need you, you have to be there."

"Scout's honor," the redhead replied firmly. After a few moments of silence, Matt felt the closet doors give way behind him and he tumbled out soon after. Once he sat upright, he stared up at Mello, who stood looking down at him.

"You know, I don't think Fee would leave you, either. Of all people, I think she knows the real value of a friend."  
"Friendship? That's bullshit. Unlike you, I'm not retarded, Matt; I know she would never leave behind a perfectly good lackey without first testing all her options."

"Damn right!" a voice agreed from the doorway, causing both boys to look at none other Miss. Magnificently Magnificent herself. She motioned for both boys to follow her out into the halls; Matt did so obediently, and Mello did so by default.

While the three walked in the halls, it was Fee who slipped her hand into Matt's; no embarrassment, no shame, no doubts. Matt looked at her strangely, narrowing his eyes through his goggles.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Fee?"  
"She's been disposed of. I'm a second model."  
"Oh, ok then."

The trio wandered throughout the orphanage until Mello parted for his room, leaving Matt to walk Fee to her "lair". He gave her a solemn goodnight before letting go of her hand, watching as she shuffled to the entryway and slowly shut the door behind her.

He took a few moments just to stand there before he turned around, walking in the direction of his own room.

"….Matt?"

Immediately, he stopped in his tracks, spinning on his heels to see Fee hiding halfway behind the door; only peeking through a crack.

"Yeah?"

This was all he could utter before she nearly flew out of her room, dashing for him. All he could see was a flash of blue before he felt a pair of lips crash into his own, if only for a brief second. Once Fee had pulled away, he blinked, as though the entire ordeal was a dream.

"Your mind. I blew it," she said coyly before going back into the room she came from. Matt grinned from ear to ear, removing his goggles from his eyes and allowing them to hang around his neck. He took all the time in the world to walk back to his own room, replaying the scene in his head.

* * *

"_Try to to understand that I'm trying to make a move just to stay in the game. I try to stay awake and remember my name, but everybody's changing and I don't feel the same."-_Everybody's Changing; Keane

* * *

**A/N: *somewhere in the Magical Land of Disclaimers***

**Me: MELLO WHERE THE EFF DID YOU GO? I NEED YOU FOR DISCLAIMERS, BECAUSE MATT WILL DIE EVENTUALLY!**

**Matt: Lucky bastard probably ran off when he had the chance :(**

**Me: ZOMG LOOK, I FOUND A NOTE:**

**_Dear Misseh,_**

**_Because of the following review, I became even more deathly afraid for my well being than usual-_**

**elizabethloveschu: **Do you know how long I have waited for this kiss?  
And YES! It happened. Now, you have to get Near and Mello to kiss and it will be the best story ever!  
xD

**_Knowing your sick and twisted little mind, you will make it happen. Therefore, I have instructed my mafia to kidnap Near to ensure you cannot use him to get to me while I have gone into hiding at Beyond_Jadee's house for the following reason:_**

**Beyond_Jadee: **Special announcement to Mello;  
Mello, fellow chocoholic, I'm going to stop eating chocolate on the 1st on January all the way to the beginning of Febuary. So, i will have to survive a MONTH without chocolate T^T  
Wish me luck

_**Because of what she stated, there will be a surplus of chocolate in her residence. My reasoning is flawless.**_

_**I hope you go die in a hole,**_

_**Mello.**_

**Me: .......WHAT THE HELL.**

**Matt: NOT. FAIR. THOSE ARE MY CONCUBINES HE IS LIVING WITH!**

**Fee: -_-**

**Matt: NOOOOO, I LOVE YOU! BABY, ~NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP, NEVER GONNA LET YOU DOWN, NEVER GONNA RUN AROUND AND DESERT YOU~!**

**Me and Fee: -______-  
**


	12. Twelve: Broken Crossroads

**Me: OKAY, SO FIRST OF ALL, A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS: For those who care, and in case you haven't already seen it, I've posted other people's fanart on my profile, and will continue to so long as you people keep sending it in! Take a look when you have the time. Also:**

**KrAzY-LiTtLe-ImP: **Hey!! Another great, wonderful, awesome-tastic chapter!! I'm always so excited when I see the alert that a new one is out!!  
And of course you can put that picture up. I made it for you, so you can do whatever you please with it!! I'm so happy to hear that you like it!! It took forever to draw out Matt because he's my favorite and thus I wanted to make him look uber-awesome!!  
I might make more fanart in the near future, so I'll make sure and let you know if I do.  
Oh...and, Matt? I'm not one of the mean ladies, right? ;_;

**Matt: NO, YOUR FANART IS TOO ATTRACTIVE TO MAKE YOU ONE OF THE MEAN LADIES. By mean ladies, I meant Misseh, and yes, she is plural. I suspect her to be multi-headed.**

**Me: Yeah, you're too kind, Matt -_- AND ZOMG, I WOULD REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO MORE OF YOUR FANART, BTW. If it is not too much to ask ^^'**

**Matt: Drawing me is never too much to ask for. I am TOTALLY worth it..._ladies~_**

**Me: ANYWAY, I just want to say that also, a lot of people helped on my plot crisis, and I know how the poll turned out. I got a lot of different stuff from it (including stuff on the "Where's Mello" ordeal...STUPID SHE-MALE -____-):**

**xxxDoro-Dashixxx: **"Oh where are thou Little Dutch girl? Misseh misses you oh so! Come back we beg of thee! We have chocolate that pours from the skies, come back we beg of thee, for without you, our male harem would never be complete!"

I believe the golden trio of Death Note land and the sheep (Oh where ever he is..) should all go with L to help on the Kira case because who wants our little dutch girl to burn to death our little matty be shot to death? Because Fee would storm into Light's home with the wrath of a thousand b*tches and kill Light because "Killing Matty was supposed to be MY job!"

Kira will wish he had died when he meets Fee, the magnifcent, her rays of awesomeness will cause Light-o to go bald and cause him to be discovered as Kira! And Fee will then take over the world and use Linda as her coatrack and Light as her footrest.

Go, Fee! I CHOOSE YOU!

**x-Malicious-Me-x: **I think it would be awesome for you to go off the Death Note plot just a little, but only because I would like to see how Fee could affect the Kira case. I, being the sadistic little demon that sits on your shoulder, would still want them all to die at the end. Keeping L alive is so overused it's not funny... as is the long and mutually happy lives of Matt and Mello... So maybe kill them at different times, or in different ways? Or just letting one of them live... or making Fee have to kill Matt for reasons unknown... That would be good.

And I totally agree with Fee committing murder. She is criminally insane. She should do it.

But anyway, IT IS FINAL! I declare that, by rule of the majority vote, Blank Canvas shall deviate from the original plot of Death Note! BWAHAHAHAHA!

I think we all have a little Fee on our shoulders, telling us what do do and when to do it. Strange things... oh so very strange... -shudders-

Now, now, Mello - let us be rational about this. I have Sweedish chocolate here... you want the Sweedish chocolate, right? -waves chocolate- That's right... come get the Sweedish chocolate... GOTCHA! -throws net-

**Me: FREAKING LOL THOSE WERE SOME OF THE MOST AWESOME THINGS I'VE EVER READ IN A REVIEW.**

**Matt: So....Fee should either commit murder, shine rays brighter than those in the Sunny-D drink commercials and kill us all, or destroy Kira the sake of killing me before him?**

**Me: Yep.**

**Mello: Yes, because that's TOTALLY what a sane person would do -_-**

**Me: MELLO!**

**Matt: LITTLE DUTCH GIRL!**

**Mello: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters, but she does own the OC, Fee. Also, I have returned against my will because you freaking have your crazy ARMY of reviewers -__________-**

**Me: Tehe~ Well, DON'T MESS WITH THE FANGIRLS.**

* * *

Twelve: Broken Crossroads

**November 3rd**

The eerie blue glow cast upon her face from her laptop screen provided the only light in her dark room. Impatiently, Fee's fingers danced across the keyboard, typing gibberish into an open word document; keeping herself busy as she waited. Finally, a giant letter "L" appeared on her screen, making her sigh in slight relief. After a few moments, none other than the great detective himself appeared via webcam.

"Good Morning."  
_"You are aware that it is night where you are, correct?"_  
"Oh, what would you know; you've been in Japan for months."  
_"That doesn't mean I still don't keep up with what's going on in Wammy's, even from across the world."_  
"Creeper."

L attempted a chuckle, but faltered. Fee's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion; the change in him noticeable.

_He looks…drained. _

"Hey, if you're looking for webcam action, you've come to the wrong place, just so you know. Perhaps Willy would do it for enough chocolate, but I prefer not to consult Willy on things like this."  
_"Are you always more incomprehensive at night than usual?"_  
"Are you always more exhausted than usual when you're away from home?"

L fell silent, his eyes wandering away from the screen. The quiet remained for what seemed like ages, and Fee felt as though she had done something wrong.

_"…The bells…"_

Fee had begun to daydream, but was brought back to reality by his statement. "W-What? What about bells?"  
_"Don't you hear it? They've been playing all week, and have only gotten louder recently. Church bells…"_

Fee's eyebrows scrunched together once more; the entire conversation feeling almost bizarre, even to her. "Are you okay, Panda?"

L's eyes widened as though Fee had just cursed; his expression becoming one that seemed almost apologetic._ "Fee, do not worry. I am fine, I just need…some sleep."  
_  
"Then what on earth did you ask me to go on webcam for if all you want to do is sleep?!"

Slowly, a tiny ghost of a smile graced his lips. _"I suppose, this time, it is my reasoning that is flawed, no?"_

Fee scoffed, shaking her head. "You're one strange bear, you know that?"  
"_I just thought I should say goodnight, Fee…..Forgive me."_  
"Wait, wha--"

The screen went dark.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

**November 5th **

Fee was nearly hypnotized watching Matt pace back and forth, walking the same path so that she was surprised he did not make a ditch in the floor. Once she snapped out of her trance-like state, she pursed her lips at the boy, his paranoia seeming silly.

"Matt, Willy has gotten in trouble before. Hell, he and Roger should be tighter than his pants by now."  
"I know it's nothing new for Mello, but Near was also sent to Roger's office. Near. He never gets in trouble, which must mean it's something else…"  
"Maybe Roger finally realized Near's albinism is due to radioactivity, and he's giving Willy the bad news that he's been overexposed. It totally explains why that boy's always on his man-period."

Matt put a finger to his chin, considering the option. He shook his head furiously, as though he were angry at himself for even thinking of it. Fee rolled her eyes, leaping like a cat and latching onto Matt's leg from where she sat on the floor.

"Quit it, or you'll lose your sanity over it," she whined.  
"Well, at least you have nothing to worry about, since you never had any to start with."

Fee smirked, moving up the length of his leg so that her arms wrapped more around his thigh; acting solely in revenge for his comment. He immediately turned bright red and began hopping on one foot, attempting to shake her off. While the both of them began to struggle, Mello burst through the door, his face red with rage. He looked from Matt to Fee, his gaze then locking on the blue-haired girl.

"Out," he commanded, his teeth clenched together.  
"I beg your pardon? This complete insubordination, Wi--"  
"Get out or I'll _make_ you."

Suddenly, she fell silent, her eyes widened in shock. She slowly unwound her arms, numbly making her way to the door. She glanced back one last time before shutting the door, pressing her ear to it as though her goal was to become one with the oak.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

Matt and Mello both stood in silence in the room, staring at each other without speaking a word. Green eyes full of concern looked into ice blue eyes full of what appeared to be pain and hate.  
"Mels, what's going on?"

The blonde stomped right past the redhead, throwing the doors to the closet open and tossing the redhead's things onto the bed. Matt could only watch in total confusion as his shirts and pants flew in the air to land on the mattress.

"Mello, what did Roger tell you and Near in his office?" Matt said seriously, a feeling of panic growing inside him.  
"Near…fucking_ Near_. He's always first, and now he's officially the successor…_This isn't fair!_" he roared, slamming the closet doors closed.

"What?! How is he officially successor? Did L actually decide?!"

Suddenly, a dark smile spread across the blonde's face, followed by a low chuckle. He began laughing more and more until he threw his head back in an almost demonic cackle.

"_Ha!_ You're kidding, right? Your precious L is _dead_."

Matt's face drained of all its color, turning a sickly pale color. His fingers went ice cold as his stomach churned. "D….._Dead?_"

Mello turned to where the pile of clothes lay on the bed, now wearing an expression as hard as stone. "L is dead; there's no more hope in this damned world. Near may be named his successor, but I swear, I'll beat him and avenge L. I'll run away and become the best, by any means necessary."

Matt swallowed hard, taking a step forward. "M-Mello, you can't be thinking straight. You…You can't run away. What's going to happen to all the people you leave behind? To me? To Fee?"

By now, Mello had already begun stuffing Matt's clothes into a duffle bag. His narrowed gaze wandered upwards to look at Matt, as though he were searching for something.

"You made a promise, remember? 'When I need you, you have to be there.'"  
"You want us to come _with_ you?"  
"The only 'us' is you and I. No one else is coming. They'd slow us down."

Matt's eyes widened enormously at the notion, tears beginning to form at the brim. Mello tossed the packed duffle bag at his feet, moving past him then to stand at the doorway.

"Think long and hard, Matt. Don't forget your promise."

With that, Mello stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Matt's eyes flickered from the duffle bag to the window, where he began to hear a steady beat against the glass.

_….It's raining…._

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_Dead…Dead….Dead…Dead…  
Why?_

Pale, cold hands ran through blue hair, grabbing fistfuls and pulling hard. The thin frame of the distressed girl rocked back and forth in that gloomy corner. She couldn't even find the strength to pick up the sharpie that lay on the floor beside her.

Warm, coarse hands gently gripped her wrists, removing her hands from where they had entangled in her hair. Two arms wrapped around her and squeezed, though their owner did not utter a word. She knew who it was, yet became still as though it was but a stranger.

The "stranger" shook, choking back audible sobs. The embrace could have lasted for all eternity if it were up to him, but his hands were soon pushed away by hers, despite his attempts to hold her once more.

Soon, Matt stood up, still not having said a word. He took his march out of Fee's room, leaving his heart behind.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

"What exactly is your plan?"

Mello's head snapped in Matt's direction, these words being the first he'd heard from Matt in the past few hours. The blonde sighed, adjusting the bag over his shoulder as the rain continued to pelt on both their heads.

"We'll stay in town for a while; laying low, until we have enough money. Once that is set, it should be fairly simple from there."

Matt snorted, lolling his head to the side. "Fucking bulletproof plan you got there."  
"Shut up," Mello barked, shoving the boy in the direction of a nearby convenience store. As the blonde went inside to satisfy his chocolate necessities, Matt sat on the curb, watching rain drip from strands of his hair.

Matt had nearly fallen asleep when he felt someone tap his shoulder, making him jump. Beside him sat a man, reeking of booze and appearing to be homeless.

"Damn, thought ya were asleep there, boy," he muttered. "Y'all won't make it out 'ere on your own without any cash," he stated, pointing to Matt's pockets that had been "mysteriously" turned inside out.  
"You may be homeless, but at least you have common sense," he hissed bitterly. The man laughed, bearing a nearly toothless grin.

"Ya sound like you could use a fix, boy," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small, white box. The box was tossed into Matt's hands, opening on its own to reveal a dozen cigarettes neatly packed inside.  
"…So you think cancer sticks will make me feel better?"  
"Hey, I ain't holding a gun to your head. It was just a suggestion, is all."

The redhead took a single cigarette in between his fingers, staring at it through the tint of his goggles. After a few moments, he parted his lips, freeing his hands to use the supplied lighter. "So much for common sense…"

To him, it didn't matter, anyway. He was simply replacing one addiction with another.

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She stood in the center of her room; darkness shrouding it like a veil. Carefully, she set down the can on the floor, the brush resting beside it. Fee nearly twitched when she heard the door to her room swing open, the intruder allowing themselves in.

"It's all over Wammy's, you know," Linda sneered, leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed. "Looks like you're alone again, like it _should_ be and always _will_ be."

Fee smirked, bending down to remove the top from the can. "You know, Linda, one day, perhaps someone will teach you to keep that enormous mouth of yours closed. Until then, make use of it and go bury your face in some boy's crotch. I hear that pays big bucks nowadays."

Linda stared in disbelief as Fee dipped the brush into the can, pulling it out drenched in black paint. As though she were amused, Fee allowed the paint to drip from the brush onto her hands; holding it up like a weapon.

"Y-You're mad," Linda murmured, taking a step back.

Fee smiled darkly, gripping the handle of the brush. "I suppose you're right for once, Linda. Now, if you would excuse me, I have a bit of some extreme….remodeling to do."

* * *

"_So give me something to believe, 'cause I am living just to breathe. And I need something more to keep on breathing for, so give me something to believe..." -_"Believe" by The Bravery.

* * *

**A/N: OSFOSJOSK THIS HAS GOT TO BE THE MOST DEPRESSIVE THING EVER. FOR THAT, I APOLOGIZE ;____;**

**Mello: Apology not accepted.**

**Matt: Friend request REJECTEDDDDDDDDD *snaps fingers***

**Near: D:**

**Me: ZOMG SHEEP WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?**

**Near: *glares at Mello* You're truly dispicable. There _were no _toys in the trunk. You LIED.**

**Me: ......................Pfft.....BWAHAHAHAHAHAHHA MELLO IS SUCH A FRIGGIN' PEDO AHAHAHHAA.**

**Mello: IT WAS NECESSARY. I had to get away from this crazy woman -_-**

**Me: How many times do I have to TELL you, you will not suffer any LETHAL injuries while in my care. I am a LOVING author ^^**

**Just_Call_Me_Jam-evil_laugh-: **Dearest Mello and Near:  
Do not relax, and stay on your toes if you do not wish to be sucked back to the wrath and fangirliness of missehkheel. She will use her author powers to suck you back to the magical land of disclaimers.

-Jam

**Me: ......THAT IS NOT HELPFUL.**

**Matt: IF THAT WAS BEYOND BIRTHDAY I WILL JUST DIE OF LAUGHTER.**

**Mello: SEE? WHAT DID I TELL YOU? You're just as evil as Kira.**

**Near: Vote seconded.**

**Me: WTF WE WEREN'T EVEN TAKING A VOTE. AND DON'T YOU COMPARE ME TO KIRA.**

**I-love-red-head-ninjas: **O.O oh. My. God. Matt pulled a Rick Roll!? This means...MATT IS KIRA!

**Matt: .............................*shifty eyes***

**Me, Mello, and Near: WHOA SNAP--  
**


	13. Thirteen: Stitching Hearts

**Me: Okay, so I am updating this around 3 in the morning. Because I love my readers. And also because this is much less boring than sleep.**

**Mello: Do you mind telling me where the hell Matt went??**

**Me: Well, you see...**

_***Magical Disclaimer Land FLASHBACK***_

**I-love-red-head-ninjas: **O.Ooh. My. God. Matt pulled a Rick Roll? This means...MATT IS KIRA!

**Matt: ....................................*shifty eyes***

**Me, Mello, and Near: WHOA SNAP---**

**L: DA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA BATMAN!! *swoops in and flies away with Matt***

**Me: o.o**

**Mello: o.o**

**Near: ............... :D**

**_*END OF FLASHBACK*_**

**Mello: WHY DON'T I REMEMBER ANY OF THAT?!**

**Me: Because you knew too much... *shifty eyes* ANYWAY, I'm terribly sorry about the last chapter, which was quite depressing. One person actually got the point I was trying to make exactly:**

**Chocoholic_Jeevas: **okay, I THINK that fee is gonna paint her entire room black becuase Matt and Mello left her and Matt will smoke becuase he's addicted to Fee and he's trying to fill the empty void.

**Me: YEY, WE HAVE A WINNER~! *throws confetti* Also, a lot of people wanted to hurt Matt for leaving, but more so Mello. Since Matt is not here, Mello shall receive the punishment. DISCLAIMER FIRST, LITTLE DUTCH GIRL. I COMMAND YOU.**

**Mello: -____- Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. However, she does own the OC, Fee.**

**sakura1243: **And Mello. . . I'm going to send a herd of Near-sheep after you for not bringing Fee along! FEAR THE NEAR-SHEEP. They are ruthless. Even worse than a Jackie Chan/Fee hybrid.

Oh yeah. Be afraid. Be very, very afraid.

**Mello: Pfft...What the hell is a Near-Sheep anyway..........OHMYGOD-----**

**

* * *

**

Thirteen: Stitching Hearts  
_  
"Good afternoon, This is Keri Ann with Channel 12 news, here to report about a new 'Artistic Renaissance' taking the city by storm--"  
_  
Click.  
_  
"--Live in front of the very alley in which the latest work of the 'Fantom' lies, reports Laura for-"_

Click.

_"Vandalism or Art? Channel 22 News discusses the controversy over the murals scattered all over the--"_

The television was turned off with a frustrated sigh; the remote control thrown at the screen soon after.

"You know, there's no need to be so violent. The T.V. never did anything to you."  
"_I'm_ violent? And this is coming from you, Mels; how hypocritical. Anyway, it's just annoying how I can't turn on the friggin' T.V. without being practically _assaulted_ with news stories on this whole 'Fantom' ordeal."

The leather-clad legs belonging to a certain chocoholic blonde strut across the room; walking with a newfound and consistent pompous attitude. "Well, don't blame the T.V.; that thing cost money. Blame New Yorkers for being so childishly fascinated with every little freaking thing."

A certain redhead smirked from his seat on the floor as he stretched his legs out lazily. Orange-tinted goggles were left to hang loosely around his neck as he slowly took a drag from his cigarette. "Hey, you should blame yourself. You're the one who decided to come to New York in the first place."

"It was only because I had found out Near had stationed his stupid little 'Special Provisions for Kira' here. It won't be much longer; I have plans elsewhere."  
"Oh, is that so?" Matt sneered. "Well, you've been saying that for about two years now, and where has that gotten us? Nowhere. We've been stuck in this crummy apartment doing nothing but stalking Near; which, by the way, has passed the limit of being able to be called '_research_' anymore."

Mello growled as he pulled out a chocolate bar, snapping a piece off of the corner. "Instead of sitting here on your lazy ass complaining, why don't you just leave and buy one of your mind-rotting video games or something?"

"Will do," Matt replied curtly. He crushed his cigarette on an ash tray before getting up and leaving the hell he was forced to call "home".

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"It's beautiful!"  
"Amazing…I'd never fathom such beauty came from human hands!"  
"Such talent is wasted on the outside of buildings! It belongs in a museum!"

Matt quirked a brow as he peered over multiple heads, gawking at the size of the enormous crowd that had gathered just a few blocks away from his apartment. Slowly, he inched his way into the heart of the gathering, passing by multiple news reporters.  
_  
What the hell is the big deal?_

Matt's curiosity was soon satisfied as he found himself at the front, face to face with an enormous flower; one that someone who didn't look closely would swear was alive. Painted onto the brick of a random building, it looked ready to burst into life; to bloom with its wide petals and swallow the city whole. Matt blinked twice as his jaw dropped at the sight. He felt himself get pushed aside as newscasters frantically shoved their way to the front.

"Channel 6 News is reporting with live footage of the latest work of whom people on the streets are calling 'The Fantom': an artistic genius who paints his or her murals on walls of the city and vanishes without a trace, leaving only the initials of 'F' hidden within each piece as a type of signature. The 'Fantom's' latest work is of a beautiful violet painted on the side of a local 7/11 convenience store. Where will he or she strike next? Could it be _your _neighborhood?!"

Matt's eyes widened as his eyes glanced back toward the wall. He tentatively put his fingers against it, reminiscing.

_….Violets…  
…Phantom with an 'F'….  
… Impossible._

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Mello jumped when the front door to the apartment flew open, soon followed by Matt stumbling inside. The redhead's arms were full of papers and folders stuffed with documents, some of which slipped out of his grasp and fluttered to the floor.

"M-Matt, did you actually go out and do…research? I mean, I never thought it possible in this lifetime that you would ever in any way be _helpful._"  
"Could you stop being an ass for _one_ second of your life and help me?" Matt spat, attempting to balance the papers with any appendages he had left to use. Reluctantly, the blonde made his way over to the struggling redhead and grabbed a pile of papers. While shifting through them, the look of pride on his face vanished and was replaced with one of confusion and slight rage.

"Matt."  
"Yeah?"  
"These have nothing to do with the Kira case."  
"So?"

Mello's face began to redden, the anger boiling. "Any and all research is done to help the case. This is just a bunch of crap on those drawings around the city; it's _unrelated_, and so it's _trash_."  
"But Mels, I've been thinking…"  
"Nobody asked you to think, Matt. Your job is to deal with the technical stuff."  
"Mels….all of it points to a possibility….t-that s-sh--"

"Stop living in your damn fantasies, Matt, and get a grip," Mello seethed, throwing the papers on the floor before he stomped off. Matt's eyes narrowed as he bent to pick it up.  
_  
What's irrelevant to you is relevant to me, asshole…_

Matt pushed Mello's comments out of his mind as he flipped open each of the files, glancing at the addresses of where each of the art pieces were located.  
_  
It doesn't make sense… They're not in any type of order, and their distances are up to a mile apart. None of the buildings belong to a similar chain, and they don't strike me as of some significance…_

Matt ran a hand through his hair as he took a deep breathe. He spent half an hour, deep in thought, before an idea suddenly popped into his mind. Acting swiftly on his intuition, he sifted through his things until he found a map of the city and an entire arsenal of pins.

One by one, he placed the pins on the map where each of the murals was located. His eyes widened as the pins began to arrange themselves; first as a pattern, then as letters.

He smiled with what could only be described as "happiness"; something he hadn't felt in a while.

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Paint dripped slightly from the brush, making the only sound in the quiet serenity of the small downtown neighborhood. The wielder of the brush wiped it against the wall, using any remaining paint to make a small "F" within the mural. After standing still in front of the wall for just a few moments longer, blue rain boots spun on their heels in the opposite direction, never turning back; just as always. The person draped a hood over their head; hiding their face, and therefore hiding their identity.

"It was a little difficult at first, you know, to understand just what you were doing. Then again, it's always been hard to understand you, hasn't it?"

Blue boots stopped in their tracks, frozen on the spot by the sound of _that_ voice that shattered the stillness of the evening.  
Slowly, Matt inched out of the darkness of a nearby alley; his hiding place where he had remained all evening to catch the supposed "Fantom" in the act. He hoped his suspicions were right, while a part of him prayed he was wrong.

"It's beautiful, you know…," he pointed out, glancing at the wall. "In fact, I don't even know if 'beautiful' is the right word for it. It's so far beyond it, I suppose, that I don't even know _what_ to call it."

This earned a devious smirk from the hooded stranger; a smirk that curled upwards into a Cheshire-catlike smile. Slowly, the hood was pulled off to reveal a head of short, blue hair.

"I actually may be able to help you with your vocabulary troubles,_ Matt_. Tell me…"

Matt's eyes widened further than they already were as the person he hoped and feared it was turned around; familiar cerulean eyes still gleaming with mischief, even in the dark.

"…Are you still familiar with the term 'Fee'?"

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Ice blue pierced through equally cold cerulean; both eyes narrowed and unblinking. Matt stood beside both Mello and Fee awkwardly, as though he was about to witness a car accident and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"I didn't think it was possible, _Willy_, but you've gotten uglier."  
"It's nice to see you too, Fee, and not in a strait jacket…yet."  
"At least I could work a strait jacket. Last time I checked, leather belonged on couches, not womanly men."  
"You haven't changed a bit…literally. You're still as flat-chested as ever."  
Fee frowned, glancing downward with distaste. "Keep it above the belt, please, even if there's nothing there for both of us, Willy."

Mello snorted, crossing his arms across his chest. "Don't take it to heart, dear. I'm sure Matt would still hump you silly."

Fee looked at the addressed boy coyly from the corners of her eyes. "Careful; I might just take him up on that offer," she said in a sultry tone. Matt straightened up, his face coated with red as Fee smiled in delight.

"What exactly are you doing here, anyway?" Mello interrupted, his expression stern once more. Fee stuck out her lower lip, scrunching her eyebrows together in annoyance.

"I draw on walls to ease my boredom. Now, take a look around, Willy; New York is nothing _but_ walls. It's a huge concrete jungle, and my own personal playground. Hell, they're even saying I'm like a phantom with an 'F', and those things were just doodles. However, the real question is just what are _you two_ doing in New York?"

Mello scowled, leaning forward slightly with a frighteningly dominant aura to him. "It's none of your business, and you should stay out of it for your own good."

Fee scoffed, using her index finger to push Mello away. "Don't try and be so tough when you're such a marshmallow. I'll be going to bed now," she announced, turning away from him. She glanced back for a moment at Matt; eyes shining with an undefined emotion.

"…Goodnight, Matt. Both of you better be here when I wake up."  
"Goodnight, Fee."

Matt watched as the girl who fascinated him most sauntered towards the guest room; swaying her hips as she walked.  
_…………..She's…..gorgeous…._

"Oh, and Fee?"  
"What?"  
"Your pattern…the addresses of the murals were arranged to spell out your name, weren't they?"  
"Really? I hadn't noticed."  
"Um…But, judging by the right coordinates, the next address should've been the Empire State Building…"  
"Oh, I'm sure they wouldn't have minded if I made it pretty. Besides, who doesn't like giant pandas?"

Matt had never thought he would miss the feeling of loosing his sanity so much.

* * *

_"Want her, have her. Two years have gone now, but I can't relate to the never ending games that you play..." -_"Standing Next to Me" by The Last Shadow Puppets.

* * *

**A/N: REUNITED AND IT FEELS SO GOOOOOD~**

***silence***

**Me: WTF WHERE IS EVERYONE??**

**Watari: Young Mello is being attacked by Near-Sheep, and Matt is being held in a classified location.**

**Me: SO WHO AM I SUPPOSED TO TALK TO??**

**Watari: *ahem* -______-**

**Me: Um...n-no offence, but....**

**Matsuda: DOES THIS MEAN I CAN GET A CAMEO??! YES, IT'S MAH TIME TO SHINE! SUPAHSTAR :D**

**Me: MATSU~! Okay, so Fee basically became New York's most famous yet most mysterious street artist. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?**

**Matsuda: I CAN DRAW RAINBOWS!**

**Me: YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!  
**


	14. Fourteen: Rightside Down

**Me: *deep breathe* Wait for it....wait for it....**

**Mastuda: *sits on the floor and waits patiently***

**Me: .....FINALS WEEK IS OVER!!!!!!!!! NO MORE EXAMS AND NOW I MAY WRITE AS I PLEASE! *choir music plays***

**Mastuda: I LIEK SKEWL!**

**Me: What is your favorite subject, Matsu?**

**Mastuda: Erm.... COLONOSCOPY! :D**

**Me: You see, Matsu, this is why I like having you around, unlike SOME PEOPLE *cough*.**

**Mello: Thank you, you're so kind for welcoming me back -____-**

**Me: I don't even know how you ESCAPED. You're too wimpy to have beaten all the Near-Sheep.**

**Mello: Chuck Norris stared at them and they made themselves into sweaters.**

**Me: That explains a lot. ONE SWEATER FOR EVERYONE~! :D**

**Mello: Matt's still missing, though. I think L made him Robin or something.**

**Matsu: DOES THAT MEAN MATT IS RUNNING AROUND IN TIGHTS?**

**Me: Sexy~ ANYWAY, I got a lot of excitement about how Fee turned out in New York from the last chapter, and some of them were just fantastic:**

**The_Negotiator_of_Promise: **Fee is now in New York! Watch out! You are all about to be taken by storm! The Empire State Building would have looked better with some giant pandas on the side! Why couldn't Matt have found her after that. ...Any chance she can still do that? I love interactions between Fee and Mello, by the way. They're so mean to eachother. But, even though he is being mean, I must find a way to say the poor, androgynous guy fron the near-sheep. And now we have Matsu-kun in the Author Notes! Can we keep him there? Everyone needs a bit of Matsuda in their lives! It makes people happy.  
Anyway, until the next update, which I hope is soon,

-The Negotiator of Promise

**KrAzY-LiTtLe-ImP**: Yay! Matt and Fee unite once more to spread havoc and insanity across the streets of New York...and...wow, Mello was such an ** in this chapter O__O  
I love Mysterious Artist Fantom!! XD Awesome idea, and I can totally see Fee doing something like that in New York...as well as panting the faces of any hobo's sleeping on the street X3  
Great chapter!! I can't wait to read more!

**Me: LOL, awesome stuff xD AND MELLO, NOBODY LIKES YOU, SO JUST GO AWAY. I'm going to replace you all with Matsu clones. **

**Mello: I never WANTED to be here in the first place!**

**Me: DON'T TALK TO YOUR MOTHER IN THAT TONE OF VOICE.**

**Mello: I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY WIFE?!**

**Me: SO YOU ADMITTED IT! BWHAHAHAHAHHAHA!**

**Matsu: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters, though she does own the OC, Fee. I like peanut butter :D**

* * *

Fourteen: Right-side Down  
_  
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump._

Mello looked up from one of the files he was reading, an eyebrow raised in questioning. Like the "master investigator" he chose to believe he was, he got up from his seat and went to search for the source of the constant sound.  
_  
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. _

Cautiously, the blonde made his way across the hall of the apartment in search of this beat, and found it getting louder as he approached Matt's room. Mello glanced at his watch as he stood just outside the door.  
_  
It's 6 in the morning. He better not be in there with Fee, and doing what I think they're doing…_

Slowly, Mello turned the doorknob; opening the door just enough so that he could take a peek into the room. His eyes darted to the bed, and, when finding it empty of two teenagers going at it like bunny rabbits, sighed with relief. He threw the door open completely to find Matt huddled in a corner, banging his head repeatedly against the wall.

"…Well then."

Matt glanced up; dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. He bit his bottom lip, turning back towards the wall so that he could resume his previous self-torture.

"Why?"  
"I couldn't sleep because I know she's mad at me," Matt whined, falling on his side and curling into a fetal position on the floor.

Mello tried to hold back a laugh at his friend's misery; a useless attempt as he snorted without the least bit or pity. "You're freaking insane, Matt. She didn't seem angry yesterday, and how can you be so sure that she is today when she didn't even _wake up_ yet?"

Matt sighed as though the answer was obvious. "When Fee is angry, she will make sure to let you know. When Fee is _beyond pissed_, she won't do a thing, and act so nice it's creepy."  
"That made no sense whatsoever."  
"That's the entire point, Mels. What I hate the most is that she knows just how to get to me," he said sadly, giving a pout.

Mello crossed his arms. "And how is that?"  
"She'll treat my emotions like a cat toy."

Mello smirked, slowly backing out of the doorway. "Well, the games have begun, I suppose. This should be interesting."

Matt frowned, hugging his knees closer to him._ Fine…if that's how it's going to be, then I'll have to beat her at her own game._

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Fee's nose twitched, catching the scent that wafted into the room. She bolted upright from where she lay, sniffing the air once more.

"…Pancakes?" she questioned, taking a moment to blow stray strands of hair from her eyes. Fee rolled off the bed, tumbling to the floor with the covers wrapped around her like a cocoon. Moving in a caterpillar-like motion, she slinked from her room towards the dining room; following the trail of the smell.

The blue-haired girl almost couldn't believe her eyes as she looked upwards in awe to see Matt, clad in a pink apron, setting up the dining room table. Two plates of pancakes were set up neatly, and the entire table was decorated as though for a special occasion.

"Breakfast?"

Matt's gaze snapped towards caterpillar-Fee on the floor, breaking into a smile meant to dazzle all beholders. "Good morning! And yeah, I made breakfast."  
Fee's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "But you don't cook."  
"Who told you that?"  
"You. Do. Not. _Cook_."

Fee struggled to free herself from her encasement as she tried to get into a chair. Matt acted immediately, almost flying to her aid. "Don't worry about it! I'll just seat you down."  
She twitched as Matt's arm wound underneath her; latching under the bend in her knees and carrying her bridal-style to the chair. Once he set her down gently, he quickly took his place on the chair beside hers.

Fee frowned; eyes flickering back and forth between the tantalizing stack of pancakes in front of her and a Matt so happy looking she swore he glittered in the sunlight. She squirmed, attempting to free her arms to eat, which turned out to be a fruitless effort.

Just as Fee was about to bend forward face-first into the pancakes, Matt put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Y-You don't need to do that. You'll make a mess."  
"But my arms--"

As though to be the curer of all her problems, Matt lifted up a fork with a perfectly cut piece of pancake to her face. He brought it to her lips, waiting for her to accept the gesture.

Instead, Fee's eyes narrowed nearly to slits. "WILLY!" she called.  
"WHAT?!" he screamed from the other room.  
"GET IN HERE AND TEST MY FOOD FOR POISON!"  
"NO."

Fee stuck out her lower lip, turning her head sideways and away from the food. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing. Unlike Willy, I cannot be bribed into doing anything with food."  
"Why, Fee, I haven't the slightest clue what you're talking about!"

Fee leaned sideways until she fell out of her chair and onto the floor. She rolled over to lie on her back; her face red. "Matt, you obviously do not know who you're messing with."

Fee wiggled from side to side, slowly moving across the floor and out of the room. "Mark my words, I shall have my revenge; I'll be the victor!"  
"But--"  
"_Revenge!_" she cried as her final words, though it was still ten minutes before she was able to fully wiggle out of the room and make her exit.

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Matt paced back and forth, biting his nails nervously. Mello watched in amusement, taking a bite out of his chocolate bar. "Matt, I thought you beat Fee's game this morning. What are you so nervous about?"  
"She said she'd get 'revenge'. Knowing Fee, she'll probably throw my Xbox out the window and paint rainbows in my room, or something along those lines!"

The chocoholic blonde rolled his eyes. "Matt, you need to cool it. Play your Wii or something; take your mind off it, because if you dwell on it, then you're simply giving in to what she wants."  
Matt took a deep breathe, nodding shakily in agreement. "Yeah…I'll play the Wii."

Just as Matt turned on the consol and took a seat on the couch, something caught his attention in his peripheral vision; the same going with Mello. Both boys turned towards the doorway with wide eyes, dropping whatever they held in their hands simultaneously.

Fee leaned against the wall with a satisfied smirk, dressed in nothing but one of Matt's long sleeved striped shirts; a shirt worn on her almost like a dress, and came halfway down her thighs.

"Hello," she greeted calmly, strutting across the room and taking a seat uncomfortably close to Matt. The redhead swallowed hard; it took all his effort to keep his composure.

"H-Hi."

Fee nonchalantly reached across Matt's lap to the other side of the couch, picking up the player two remote for the Wii. "I want to play."

Matt sat as stiff as a board; his lower lip trembled. "U-Umm…"  
"Oh, in case you're wondering, I seem to have lost my clothes, so I'm borrowing yours temporarily. I hope you don't mind."

"Well, I'll just leave you two amongst yourselves," Mello announced, making his escape soon afterwards. Matt's jaw dropped, feeling betrayed and cornered.

"Well? What're we playing?" Fee asked innocently, twirling the Wii remote in circles. Matt coughed, staring at the screen ahead of them and taking his focus away from her.  
"W-We're playing Super Smash Bros."  
"Great!"

Matt tried to keep his attention turned onto the game; one which he was repeatedly losing. It was a though every time he glanced back towards Fee, the distance between them would lessen. In his mind, he prayed to the gods of Super Smash Bros that he'd be able to last through the entire ordeal without exploding in frustration.

"Well, Matt, that's the tenth time I've won. And you call yourself a video game master!" she scoffed, setting the remote down on the couch. She got up and sauntered towards the shoes closet in the room, opening the door and casually pulling out just what Matt expected her to.

"Oh, look," she said in mock surprise. "I found my clothes!"

With that, Fee exited the room with nothing but a feeling of triumph.  
Revenge: Achieved.

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The floorboards creaked beneath her feet as she quietly tiptoed into her own room; careful not to wake Matt in the room next to hers, or disturb Mello from his mysterious research. Already in her pajamas, she jumped onto her bed, burying her face into the mattress. Fee's eyelids became heavy, and she slowly felt herself drifting off.

That is, until she heard something else breathing in the room besides her.

Fee sat upright, looking around her room in slight panic. Even in the darkness of the evening, she could tell no one was there; yet, the breathing that was not her own continued. Her heart beat a Fee inched towards the edge of the bed, facing the floor. Slowly, she dropped over the side to take a peek underneath, and stopped breathing when another pair of eyes stared back at her.

"GAH!" she screamed. A pair of hands lashed out and covered her mouth, silencing her.  
"Shut up! Mello will come in here if he hears you!"

Fee scrunched her eyebrows together, squinting to get a better look at her stowaway. She pushed the hands that covered her mouth away so that she could speak.

"…Matt? What on earth are you doing?"  
"Hiding under your bed."  
"Why?"

Matt glanced away from her, thankful to the darkness that the slight shade of pink across his cheeks was well hidden. "…B-Because I still l-love you. Can I stay?"

Fee's eyes widened slightly, but she immediately gained composure once more. "Matt, if you still think you have a chance against me, then you're wrong. Rule one when playing against Fee: Fee always wins. Period."

"…B-But I'm not playing anymore," he mumbled, crawling forward. Fee recoiled, moving so that she lay comfortably on her bed once more.  
"Sure you're not."

"The only reason I was playing this assumed game was that I thought you initiated it!"  
"And why would I do that?"  
"Because you're mad at me!"

Fee rolled over to lay on her side. "Who said I was mad?"  
"Fee, I abandoned you two years ago in the orphanage and moved across the world without your knowledge. I know for a fact that you're mad."

The both of them remained silent in the darkness for a moment until Fee broke the ice. "I'm…not mad. I wasn't mad in the first place. I just…I missed you."  
Matt knew he shouldn't have, but he felt himself smile a bit. It wasn't at the prospect of her sadness, but that she hadn't forgotten him, and thrown her feelings away in a rage.

"You're not the only one, you know," he said in a near whisper.

Fee also knew she shouldn't have, but she felt herself smiling. However, this time it was at the prospect of his sadness. This is not due heartlessness, but to the relief that he wasn't indifferent to having left her behind.

"…You can stay, but you're not sleeping underneath the bed, you rapist."

Matt laughed as he began rolling onto his back to heave himself out from under the bed. He frowned when he stopped short, and only halfway out.

"U-Uh, Fee?"  
"What?"  
"Never mind."  
"Tell me."  
"No."  
"Damn it, Matt, just say it!"  
"But you'll laugh at me!"  
"Say it!"

"I am stuck," he spat, reaching his arms upward so that Fee saw his fingertips wiggle over the edge of the mattress. She laughed so that he heard her purposefully, causing his arms to drop downward in disappointment. Fee hung under the edge of the bed once more, smiling deviously at a helpless Matt.

"You look particularly evil this evening, my dear."  
"I try."

Slowly, Fee tumbled onto the floor and shifted so that she sat behind Matt's head. He looked upwards with a slightly frightened expression, unsure of what she would do. With a smirk, Fee bent forwards until her lips met with his, giving an upside-down kiss.

Once they had parted, Matt blinked, eyes wide. "U-Upside down. That was certainly…interesting."  
"You mean right-side down."  
"How so?"  
"Because if we were right-side up, we'd be on the ceiling. That'd be cool, though."

Matt grinned. "This is why I love you. You know that?"  
"I try," she said, crawling next to Matt in the remaining space underneath the bed. "And by the way, I won," she said with a yawn, falling asleep within moments afterwards.

* * *

"_1, 2, 3, 4, tell me that you love me more. Sleepless, long nights, this is what my youth was for. Old teenage hopes are alive at your door. Left you with nothing but they want some more..." -"1234" by Feist_


	15. Fifteen: Paints and Pistols

**Me: LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, Allow me to give a short summary of the last chapter, wrapped up into one review:**

**RavenFire40: ***ahem* We all know what Mello's MyStErIoUs research was. The pervert...

**Me: LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL**

**Mello: WAT. I BEG YOUR PARDON??!**

**Matt: WELL, MELLO? Let's see your ~research~. I'm sure it's very ~detailed~ and from many various ~sources~.**

**Mello: Well, Matt, I'm sure that YOU must have a lot of ~research~ on Fee taken from those security cameras in the SHOWER. YES, I KNOW THEY'RE THERE.**

**Matt: SSSSSSH! THE WALLS HAVE EYES...AND EARS...AND RECORDING DEVICES. AND THE WALLS ARE ON FEE'S SIDE. SO SHUT THE HELL UP!**

**Me: Boys and their ~research~ -__________-**

**L: I did strange things too when I was a little girl.**

**Me: .....wat.**

**Matsuda: CHEESECAKE!**

**Me: SPEAKING OF CHEESECAKE, I can't wait to see promised fanart from: KrAzY-LiTtLe-ImP and Sundae_Bunny ! :DDDD And yes, that did not have anything to do with cheesecake.**

**Mello: Weirdo.**

**Me: FRUIT LOOP.**

**Matt: Coco Puffs.**

**L: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. She does, however, own the OC, Fee.  
**

**_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
**

Fifteen: Paints and Pistols

"We're moving to L.A. so I can join the Mafia."

Matt immediately dropped the DS he held in his hands; his jaw dropping simultaneously as he looked at Mello with wide eyes from his spot on the floor.

"_What?!_ L.A? The _Mafia_? Mels, are you high on something?"

The addressed blonde frowned, placing his hands on his hips. "I told you from the very beginning that we'd only be stationed in New York temporarily. This news shouldn't be of any surprise to you."  
"Y-Yeah, but, I mean….the Mafia? We're already in some deep shit with all the hacking I do just so we can get by. Joining the Mafia is hardcore criminality!"  
"So?"

Matt scratched the back of his head nervously. "I don't know…Ask Fee what she thinks."

Mello huffed in frustration, heading off in the direction of her room. He returned moments later with Fee clinging to his leg; dragging her across the floor carelessly.

"Fee, we're going to L.A.. I plan on joining the Mafia in hopes that I'll get ahead of Near," Mello drawled while attempting to shake Fee off. The blue-haired girl's eyes narrowed up at the blonde.

"Willy, marijuana is bad for you, and decisions made while on it aren't the logical kind."  
"I am not friggin' _high_!"

Fee snorted , still clutching his leg. "Mello, you can't be serious. This idea is crazy!"  
"Are you telling me that the oh-so 'Magnificently Magnificent' Fee is _scared_?" Mello teased.

"Of course I'm scared! I mean, I'll be fine, but poor Matt won't last an_ hour_ in the mafia!"  
"I beg your _pardon_?" the redhead interjected, sitting upright in outrage. Fee smirked all-knowingly at him; her smile full of attitude.

"Matt, you and I both know that _everyone_ at the Mafia will chew you up, spit you out, and make whatever is left of you their bitch…including me."

"Fee, you should be scared for yourself. Keep in mind that you'll be surrounded by guns, prostitutes, drugs, and some of the most despicable, dangerous, and insane people in the city," Matt warned.

Fee thought for a moment, tilting her head to the side in thought. Suddenly, she broke into a wide grin. "In that case, the idea sounds delightful! I'll go pack my things," she said, throwing her arms up in excitement.

Mello smirked triumphantly at Matt, full of self-accomplishment. "Majority rules, Matt. The flight is tomorrow morning."

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Fee felt her mouth twitch in disgust as he observed the "new" apartment.

"…You must be kidding. This is just like back in New York; still as shitty as ever."

"Think of it as 'homey' then," Mello replied curtly, throwing her things on the floor as he entered through the doorway. "It should make getting used to L.A. a hell of a lot easier for you."  
"Nobody asked for your opinion, Willy. Besides, I thought that you planned to become a member of the mafia; shouldn't we be at their base or something right now?"

Mello laughed cynically. "_Ha!_ You think it's that easy? It's an organization made of people who are out for their own benefit; there's strings attached to everything. To get, you first have to give."

Fee frowned, alighting one hand on her right hip. "What exactly do you plan on offering them?"

Mello sighed, sitting down on the nearest couch and taking out his laptop from his bag nearby. He flipped it open, motioning for Fee and Matt to come closer and take a look.  
"Mello, is this what you've been researching?" Fee asked in dismay, finding herself staring at detailed backgrounds of members in the Mafia. Mello nodded solemnly; he pointed at one of the photographs.

"This is Rod Ross; head of L.A.'s meanest mafia organization, and precisely the one I need to talk to so that I can join."  
Fee quirked a brow, scrutinizing the profile closely. "He doesn't look like the type to welcome in womanly, leather-wearing boys with open arms. Tough luck, Willy."

Mello's eyes narrowed to slits. "He has plenty of enemies…some even _he_ can't get to…maybe…"

Suddenly, Mello jumped up from the couch and nearly sprinted out the doorway. "I won't be back until much later!" he shouted before slamming the door, leaving Fee and Matt to watch him go with wide eyes.

"Matt…Exactly how far do you think Willy will go to beat Near?"

Matt frowned; eyes still glued to the entryway. "To him, anything is expendable, so long as he wins. With an attitude like that, he'll get himself killed one day…and drag us down with him."

Cerulean orbs flashed with signs of sadness as they searched Matt's features for signs of emotion. "If you keep talking like that, I'll have to whip out the sharpie again," she threatened. Matt immediately shook his head; pushing such pessimistic thoughts out of his mind.

"F-Forget it. We should just keep busy until he gets back."  
"Shall I demonstrate my ass-kicking skills to you once more in Super Smash Bros?"  
"Only if you promise to keep your pants on, babe, since you cheated last time," Matt replied, waggling his eyebrows.

Fee gave a dark laugh as her hands traveled to the front of her shorts, fingers poised on the button. Never had she seen Matt run so quickly in her life.

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She woke up in a daze; the world seemed to spin around her, and she felt as though the only tether keeping her grounded on earth was Matt's arms wrapped around her waist as he slept soundly with her on the couch. She lifted her head and looked around in the darkness of the night, and saw amidst the shadows a silhouette standing in the middle of the room.

Slivers of moonlight leaking in through the shades revealed the crown of yellow belonging on none other than Mello's head. His skin was as pale as the whites in his widened eyes; fear was etched all over his face. His hands, coated in something dark and wet, trembled as he set a briefcase down on the floor. For a split second, he made eye contact with Fee, and mentally commanded her to go back to sleep.

Fee spent the rest of the evening convincing herself that she hadn't seen the pitiful state of a man who had just come home from his first kill.

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Mello wasn't sure how many blows he was able to take physically. Mentally, he was so out of it that he couldn't even tell where the pain was originating from anymore. He groaned as he was punched in the gut for the umpteenth time by a heavy first.

"That's enough for now."

The assault on his frame was paused for a moment as he fell to the floor in exhaustion. Shined dress shoes stepped in his line of sight; the wearer containing an air of authority.

"Boss, we caught him sneaking around with this briefcase. Looks like a real fruit loop, if you ask me," a lackey barked, kicking Mello harshly in his ribs. The blonde coughed and curled on the floor in a fetal position, protecting what was left of himself and his dignity.

The mentioned briefcase was tossed in the air to land in the hands of Rod Ross. He looked it over twice; suspicion in his eyes. Slowly, he unlocked it and flipped the top open, nearly dropping it once he saw what was inside.

"B-Boss, what is it?" a second lackey asked, taking a step forward. Ross stared Mello down with looks that could kill.

"…Fruit loop, you're one sick pup…," he mumbled, shutting the top of the case closed. _How did he do it?_

The fallen blonde craned his neck upwards; a sick smile plastered on his lips. "Call me Mello."  
"Mello, huh? Welcome to the good life."

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"L-Let me go!" Fee screeched, twisting in the grip of an armed man. "Matt, this is all your fault!"  
"_My fault_? It was your _genius_ idea to throw rocks at their heads!"  
"Well, they wouldn't have found us if you would've learned to laugh quietly!"

"How about we just say that you're both idiots, and leave it at that?" a voice interrupted. Fee and Matt turned their attention to the source to find Mello standing in front of them; a wide grin on his bruised face.

"You look like a bruised banana, Willy."  
"Shut up!"  
"Yes, it's nice to see you're alive, Mels."

"Sorry to break up such a_ touching_ moment, but who are they?" Ross bellowed, stepping forward. Mello gave a warning glance to both of them; his gaze threatening for silence. Fee, despite noticing this, smiled, and managed to twist completely out of the grip of the lackeys.

"I," she said dramatically, stumbling forward with her arms held out to allude a sense of grace. "…Am Fee the Magnificently Magnificent. It is an honor for you all to meet me."

Matt blinked multiple times, wondering if he was truly awake while praying Fee would stay alive for more than a few seconds. With each word Fee spoke, Mello's hand slowly reached closer towards the holster that held his gun.

Both Ross and Fee frowned at each other; judging their appearances with distaste. Swiftly, Fee marched right up to Ross and stared him closely in the face; eyes narrowed.

"Go make me a sandwich."

The air in the entire mafia base became still as silence engulfed the atmosphere. Ross's expression wavered between outrage and confusion. "Little girl, do you know who I am?"  
"Yes. You're the guy who's going to make me a sandwich," she replied quickly, sauntering towards a zebra-printed couch. She plopped herself down and put her feet up lazily on a nearby coffee table, banging her boots together.

After moments of nothing but stillness, the hefty laugh of L.A.'s cruelest mafia leader broke the ice. Little by little, the rest of the room broke out in nervous and forced laughter in the unexpected joy.

"I like you, little girlie. You've got spunk," he complimented. "Now will somebody _please_ get the girl a sandwich?"

Matt could hear Mello's mind simultaneously explode with his own.

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Fee lay back comfortably on the couch as she lolled her head to each side, making eye contact with Matt on her right and Mello on her left. She smirked as she raised a glass into the air.

"I would like to make a toast, gentlemen, to our success," she announced.  
"To general badassery," Matt added, clinking his glass against hers.

Both Matt and Fee waited expectantly for Mello, who stared into his own cup with a blank expression. Finally, after much thought, he rolled his eyes in defeat.

"Oh, just fuck it…_to sandwiches_," he saluted, completing the toast.

"To sandwiches!"

* * *

"_But now I am a criminal to be charged with a heart that's far too large. To give to just anyone, to just anyone, what a messed up world this is..." _-"Officer and a Gentleman" by Lola Ray.


	16. Sixteen: Maturity

**Me: Chocoholic_Jeevas shall sum up the previous chapter:**

**Chocoholic_Jeevas: **you...me...fee...ross...bruised bannana...OH MY G- *EXPLODES*

**Me: Let's not mention all the feedback on sandwhiches:**

**KrAzY-LiTtLe-ImP: **Man...now I want a sandwich...*checks empty fridge* NO!

*cough* Anyway...loved this chapter! Fee was totally awesome--just strutting into the mafia base and all (and demanding a sandwich). I even felt a little bad for Mello D:  
After all, he did have to kill someone...poor guy.

Oh! And I'm working on the fanart as we speak!! I've got two doodled out so far and I'm liking the second one, so I'll probably be coloring that one ^^

Well, can't wait to read the next one! And I'll let you know as soon as I finish the pics :P

**Me: YESSSSSSSSSS, I cannot wait~ :D All fanart is appreciated!**

**iceyxrain00: **LOL, the first thing on Mello's mind must have been:  
'What the -beep- She gets into the Mafia in like 3 minutes with an attitude while I had to kill someone?!'

**Mello: -___________-**

**Matt: *giggles***

**Poprocks311: **lol XD thanks to this chapter I have a new thing to add to my list of thing I gotta do before I die: Order a Mafia leader to get me a sandwich :D

**Me: NOW HOLD ON, I NEED TO PUT A WARNING LABEL ON THAT: "Commanding a mafia leader to make you a sandwich may not work for everyone. Side effects include possible death. Do not attempt while driving. It doesn't work, trust me."**

**Mello: Stupid girl...**

**Matt: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. Any of the original plot is based off a mix from both the anime and manga. She does own the OC, Fee.**

**Amaya-Ai: **LMFAO. BEST CHAPTER EVER. MY FAVORITE. YOU ROCK. GET ON THE WIN BOAT. BAHAHAHAHAH. U WIN. U WIN 4 LIFE!

-Amaya

P.S.  
Because u win. xD

**Me: Win boat....so that means....I'm on a boat.**

**Matt: You're on a boat.**

**Me: EVERYBODY LOOK AT ME, 'CUZ I'M SAILING ON A BOAT! MELLO!**

**Mello: ..........**

**Me and Matt: TAKE A GOOD HARD LOOK AT THE--**

**Mello: ENOUGH ALREADY!**

**

* * *

**

Sixteen: Maturity

The sound of heavy boots clanking against the steel steps echoed throughout the stairwell, accompanied by the _crunch_ of a chocolate bar snapping into pieces. Mello, clad in a feathery jacket, made his entrance into the darkness of the basement and was greeted by the sight of two of his minions, as well as a certain hostage.

"Has he decided to say anything yet?" Rod asked, stepping out from behind Mello.  
"He told us the Japanese police force is beginning to wimp out on Kira. Looks like right now the only ones officially working for L are Soichiro Yagami, Kanzo Mogi, and Touta Matsuda. Isn't that right?" one of his minions sneered.

"Y-Yes," the director said, his voice hoarse. "There was also Ukita, but he was killed by Kira…"  
"Right. And, as top cop, you _somehow_ didn't know that this notebook even existed, or that you had it."  
"_Ha-Ha_! Japanese cops are a joke!" the second member scoffed.

Mello took another bite from his chocolate bar and stepped forward; the lower-ranking mafia members stepping aside. "Of all the investigators on the Task Force, depute director Yagami would be the highest ranking, right?"  
"Y-Yeah…"

Mello gave a low chuckle; pleased with the answer. "My theory is that there are two notebooks: one in Kira's possession, and the other in the hands of the NPA."

Mello fisted his hand in determination, crushing the wrapper he held. "We're going to take them _both_."

Both minions exchanged doubtful glances, eyebrows raised. "Don't worry about it," Ross interrupted. "As long as we do as Mello says, there should be no mistakes. It's been a year and a half since he's joined us, and in that entire time he's never been wrong about anything."

"B-But…if he brought us the head of a mafia boss even_ Kira_ couldn't kill, what the hell does he want with a stupid notebook?" one of them piped up; a remark he soon regretted with the look Mello shot him.

"It's not _just_ a notebook. I want to eliminate my competition. I will be the_ best_; I don't care what it takes. I'll beat Near by any means necessary," he seethed, his expression a mixture of rage and determination. He stared upwards at the ceiling; smirking with a new…refreshing feeling welling inside him.

_Power…_

The fine line between what Miss Magnificently Magnificent would call "Fee" and madness was fading with each step Mello took towards his goal.

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"Hold _still_!"  
"We're_ trying_!"  
"Well, try harder, because you're doing a shitty job!"

The tower of mafia members dog piled together groaned as they attempted to keep still. Fee sat comfortably atop her "throne" of minions, peacefully painting multicolored patterns on the ceiling. Her attention snapped towards the other end of the room as Mello returned from the basement. She grinned happily and hopped down from the tower, causing all the mafia members to collapse in angst.

"Willy! Are you finally done giving out your _special services_ in the basement?" Fee teased, winking.  
"Shut up, you sick little girl."  
"Deny all you want, but your outfit says otherwise," she taunted, plucking the feathers on his hood. He pushed her hand away and made his way to the zebra-printed couch, plopping down exhaustedly on it. Fee quirked a brow, walking behind the couch to lean halfway over it and stare at his face.

"What's in that basement that's got you so tired all the time?" she thought out loud, poking her finger to his cheek. He hissed in annoyance, turning the opposite way. Fee frowned, resorting to grabbing a fistful of his hair and tugging hard .

"Fee knows all!"  
"Fee! Let the fuck _go_!"  
"Tell me what's going on! You're always busy and so mysterious, and I'm tired of being in the dark all the time!"

Mello grasped both her wrists harshly, causing her to release her grip. He craned his neck backwards to glare up at Fee; a scowl seemingly engraved in his expression.

"Fine; you want to know every little thing? I've kidnapped the director of the NPA in exchange for the tool Kira uses to kill. How's that for information?!"

Fee's eyes widened momentarily. "…You're _kidnapping_ people, now? And to fight against Kira?"

"Don't act so damned ignorant. Kira is somehow murdering millions using a killer notebook. Don't judge me before you decide for yourself if you wouldn't do _anything_ to stop it."

Fee yanked her wrists free from his grip. "Here's the thing, Willy: I'm not too sure about what your real motives are. Are you doing this for Kira, or for Near to feed your fat-ass pride?" she spat, her words dripping with venom. Mello opened his mouth to retaliate, but stopped when the basement door was thrown open to reveal one of Mello's minions, disheveled and distraught.

"B-Boss!"  
"Shut up, can't you see I'm busy?!" both Fee and Ross yelled simultaneously, earning the blue haired girl both a look of confusion and a half-nod of approval.

The minion swallowed, still out of breathe. "I-I'm sorry, but…me and Eddie were talking for a minute, and T-Takimura hung himself with his tie somehow!"

Fee shot a glance at Mello, who simply stared off into space; unfazed by the news. After a few moments, he finally snapped back to reality. "No…this is good."

"_Good?_ Willy, you kidnapped someone and now he's _dead_. How is that-"  
"Shut the hell up and keep your nose in your _own_ business," he growled. Fee could barely speak; overwhelmed by shock. Her eyes narrowed before she spun on her heels and stormed off.

"So…what do we do now?" Ross interjected. Mello opened a brand new chocolate bar, snapping off a piece.

"I'll tell you what we're going to do. We're going to kidnap Soichiro Yagami's daughter, Sayu Yagami."

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Matt jumped at the sound of his bedroom door opening and slamming closed. He didn't even bother turning around in his desk chair; he already assumed who it was.

"Fee, who pissed you off this time?"  
"Willy is so…so…_full of himself!_" she cried, throwing her arms up in frustration. She fell face-first onto Matt's bed, curling her fingers in her hair.

"Well, you know, Mello doesn't exactly have it easy. You'll have to get used to it, but his intentions are good, deep down."  
"I don't think I have a big enough shovel to dig that deep, Matt."

Matt sighed, leaning back in his chair. His eyes wandered to his computer screen; an idea sparked in his mind.

"H-Hey, if I show you something, do you promise not to laugh?"  
"No, Matt, I do not want to see the porn file on your desktop."  
"W-What? N-No!"

Fee giggled, rolling onto her side. "Fine; proceed in attempting to cheer me up."  
Matt grinned, turning towards the screen and working furiously on the keyboard. "It will work, I swear."

Once he was done, Matt leapt from the chair to plug in his entire arsenal of speakers. He hopped over to where Fee lay, wearing a devious smirk.

"Now, Fee, did you know that while I was still in Wammy's, I secretly made…um…"  
"Made what? Spit it!"  
"A Mix CD, okay?!"

Fee scrunched her eyebrows together. "What? You mean like a playlist?"  
"Not_ just _a play list; _the_ playlist. It's like a guy rule: you make a sort of Mix CD to play in the c-car or something specifically for…the g-girl you like," Matt explained, stumbling over his words.

Fee bit her lip in an attempt to hold back laughter. "…Okay, so then that's supposed to cheer me up?"  
Matt stuck out his lower lip, rising from his crouching position. "I'll have you know, I worked very hard on this, so you're going to listen and enjoy."

With the click of a button on the keyboard, music began to flow from the speakers, playing the first slow song on the play list. Matt lifted his goggles off his eyes and smiled down at Fee, holding out his hand.

"Care to dance?"

Fee smirked, raising her eyebrows. "Are you asking me to dance with the devil?"  
Matt nodded.  
"Good answer."

She sat up from where she lay and took the hand held out to her. The two moved clumsily in the mess of Matt's clutter, but finally managed to get themselves together. Once the song had ended, however, a completely different and hyped-up tune filled the room; one Fee immediately recognized, causing her to let go of Matt in shock.

"Matt, you _didn't_. Tell me this song is not playing."  
"If I did, I'd be lying," he said coyly. He took a deep breathe and two steps back, preparing for his "performance."

"And so I…_Jizzed…in…my Pants_!" Matt sang along, thrusting his hips to the beat while smacking the air. Fee ran her fingers through her hair, feeling herself twitch.

"Matt?"  
"Yep?"  
"I love you, but you're a moron."  
"I know."

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Mello slowly crept his way across the unfamiliar darkness of the room. His hands searched the walls for the light switch, but he was unable to find it. Suddenly, the very light he was searching for turned on in the corner of the room, from the lamp near one of the swivel chairs.

"I've been expecting you," Fee said evilly, turning around to face him with a smirk. Mello rolled his eyes.

"What do you want, Fee?"  
"To come to terms," she stated, getting up from the chair and walking towards him. "Fighting is ridiculous, and being ridiculous is Matt's job. So, how about you just admit that you were being full of yourself, and this can all be over."

Mello gave her a cold stare, wearing an expression to match. _"I_ was being full of myself? And this is coming from the most selfish girl I know?"  
"Willy, don't be stupid."  
"No, _you're_ the stupid one! You just can't stand to admit you're wrong; you always have to be right, and you always have to be in control. Well, you know what? I'm fucking in control now!"

Fee snorted, placing her hands on her hips. "Look at you, trying to make it seem like you have things 'under control.' You're really just a kid way in over his head who--"

"_Shut up! You can't fucking disrespect me!_" Mello roared, finally losing his temper. In a blind rage, he pulled out his gun and pointed it straight at her forehead; his finger trembled on the trigger. Cerulean eyes slowly wandered upwards to stare at the weapon, yet not showing any signs of fear.

In the tense silence, Fee _grinned_. She alighted her hand on the barrel of the gun, pushing it slowly away from her forehead.

"Silly boy…put your toys away," she whispered quietly. Mello simply stared at her hand on the gun; his arm seemed paralyzed under her will.

"You're okay, Willy. You're okay," she said almost inaudibly, her expression warm and strangely reassuring. She walked out of the room in silence as Mello collapsed in the misery of losing his identity.

* * *

_"Decisions to decisions are made and not fought. But, I thought this wouldn't hurt a lot; I guess not. Control yourself, take only what you need from it..." _-"Kids" by MGMT.

* * *

**A/N: And so, I guess you can call this chapter albeit Mello-centric...sort of...since it hows his slow, painful descent into both insanity and cold-heartedness...**

***wind blows***

**Matt: *cough***

**Mello: You....freaking....made...me...so...EMO! YOU LITTLE WITCH!**

**Me: BUT EMO PEOPLE HAVE SUCH NICE HAIR! **

**Matt: EMO has to do with the MUSIC. GET IT RIGHT!**

**Mello: Look, I do have unimaginably flawless hair, but that's BESIDES the point! YOU KEEP MAKING ME SO DEPRESSING AND YOU'LL LOOSE REVIEWERS LIKE YOU ALREADY ARE.**

**Me: I AM NOT...am I? o.o**

**Matt: YES. FEEL THE PARANOIA...FEED OFF OF IT AND LET IT BREED INSIDE YOU UNTIL YOU BECOME ONE BIG, FLAMING HOT BALL OF CONFUSION, FRUSTRATION AND PANIC!**

**Me and Mello: O.O**

**Matt: ......Jizz in My Pants Dance Party?**

**Me: HOKAY! *commences thrust-a-licious party***

**Matt: HOLD ON! THERE'S A MYSTERY TO BE SOLVED:**

**Akuma_Hana: **...im sorry, but did L say "i did strange things when i was a little GIRL"?! HOLY FUKING **! I'VE BEEN CRUSHING ON A GIRL!...does that mean i'm a lesbian?

**Me: *le gasp* L! EXPLAIN YOURSELF, YOU GENDER CONFUSED PANDA!**

**L: ..........Is the answer you're looking for 'Jizz In My Pants Dance Party'?**

**Me: OMG HOW'D YOU KNOW?? OK LET'S GO~ *re-commences party*  
**


	17. Seventeen: Fireworks

**Me: I will now allow a reviewer to sum up the previous chapter, as usual:**

**sakura1243: **Ah, Fee.

**Matt: *applauds* That was beautiful ;___;**

**Me: I couldn't have said it better myself :3 AND OH LOOK, A NEW REVIEWER HAS APPEARED. MATT, I CHOOSE YOU!**

**Matt: -_______-**

**HappyLittlePanda: **Oh. My.  
i started reading this yesterday.  
and you have an awesome little twitchy hyper person of a creative genius in your head (if that made sense) and this is why i really wanted to review ^.^ Fee is such an amazing character. i would so become a masochist and become her bestfriend ;) matt's the hottest red-headed loverboy ever! you've recently caused me to join the obsessive fan-girl army that is matt's lovers! even if he does have a file for **! plus, mello has gotten like 5 times hotter in my head. even IF i DID think he was a female for a good part of the manga *averts gaze*. though i do have sudden urges to lock him up in a pen of near-sheep at some points, and then sit back and enjoy. *sigh* .  
anyhoo.  
blank canvas is friggin amazing!  
you are an amazing writer!  
AND you pretty much made my day with the 'jizz in my pants dance party'  
:D

**Me: YES, I actually DP have a twitchy, hyper creative genius in my head. :D I like to believe we all have one, and it's called our Fee side.**

**Matt: Our Fee side especially likes to come out at drunken parties :D**

**Me: *le gasp* DUNOT INSULT YOUR GIRLFRIEND. SHE IS ALMIGHTY, FOR YOU SEE:**

**iceyxrain: **omg...fee MUST be god herself!lol.

**Time's_Essence: **And Fee is God! :D

**Mello: .....We're screwed.**

**Matt: OH MY GAWD--**

**Fee: Yes?**

**Mello: QUIET, YOU'RE ALL BEING INSULTING. **

**Me: Your face is insulting, Mello. ONE HUGE INSULT TO SOCIETY.**

**Akuma_and_Tenshi_Hana: **and i jizzed, in my pants~! wait a minute...girls can jizz in their pants right?

**Mello and Matt: O///O**

**Me: LOLOLOLOLOL YOU ALWAYS ASK, LIKE, THE FREAKIN' BEST QUESTIONS, DUDE. LOL XD**

**Mello: Your reviewers need a life so they can stop being so scary. And also, so they can STOP RUINING MINE.**

**Me: STFU, JUST LOOK AT THE FAITHFULNESS OF MY REVIEWERS:**

**Beyond_Jadee:**OMG MISSEH I'M SO SORRY I HAVEN'T REVIEWED EARLIER BUT MY LAPTOP WAS TAKING OFF ME OMG NO NO NO. I HATE BEING GROUNDED. I WILL FOREVER BE YOUR SLAVE IN DISCLAIMER LAND. AND I'LL HELP MATT BATH AND I'LL TEST CHOCOLATE OUT FOR MELLO AND HUG L TO MAKE SURE HE'S STABLE.

**Matt: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. She does, however, own Fee. OHHHHH, RUBBER DUCKY, YOU'RE THE ONE~**

* * *

Seventeen: Fireworks

"The trade for the director in exchange for the notebook has been canceled. Takimura is dead."

A chocolate bar was flipped over from back to front repeatedly in a gloved hand; the other hand holding a communicator with Soichiro Yagami on the other line. Mello paused, zoning out the screaming in outrage he got in response from Yagami.

"Look, it's only cancelled regarding the director. The new deal is this: the notebook for your precious daughter, Sayu Yagami."

The silence of shock was music to his ears; playing God, though blasphemous to think, was a game he enjoyed playing. "Seeing as you are the director of the Japanese Police, it would be stupid to ask you not to call the police….But, you had _better_ handle this on your own, without backup," he threatened. "If I see the police making any big movements in the next little while, I _will_ kill your daughter. That's right, just as easily as we killed the director."

His lips curled upwards into a wicked smirk. "I'll send you a photo of Takimura's corpse to show I mean business. Take a good look. I'll contact you tomorrow."

With the click of a button, the conversation was done with. Mello sighed in satisfaction, tilting his head back to lean against the back of the couch.

_Look at you, trying to make it seem like you have things 'under control.' You're really just a kid way in over his head….  
_  
Gloved hands fisted, breaking the chocolate bar in two.

"Shut up….I know what I'm doing….," he mumbled.

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Mello sat with his hands clasped together; his hunched form a pinnacle of impatience in the room. Fee rolled around on the floor, whining.

"Willy, I dealt with you kidnapping the poor girl in the first place. But, if her own father is late to her rescue, then this is just being ridiculous."

"Shut up, the plane should have landed by now. Why don't you go bother Matt?"  
"Because Matt has been reduced to a pile of antisocial slobbery; just sitting in a corner with his gameboy glued to his face."  
"You think I'm any more entertaining?"  
"Yes. I enjoy watching you play make-believe as a mafia boss, 'Wittle Willy'," she teased in a childish tone, rolling over to latch onto his leg. Just as he was about to shake her off, Mello's communicator gave the signal that Yagami had entered the base with the notebook in his possession.

Ice blue eyes shone with delight as he picked up the communicator. "Alright, Y462, proceed," he said into it, speaking in code to one of his henchman. He smiled deviously, giving Fee an all-knowing look.

"Y462 is going to a helicopter nearby with the 'notebook', while I will simultaneously launch a missile--"  
"Really?! Can we name it Linda?!"  
"….Why?"  
"Because if it's a missile, it's bound to blow up. I want to name it Linda because of that."  
"…Okay…Well, I will simultaneously launch the miss--"  
"Call it by its proper name!"  
"….I'll launch _'Linda_', which will travel at a speed too fast for any radar Near may have to track. In truth, the notebook will stay right here in L.A. in our possession."  
"But what will happen to _Linda_? That's what I want to know!"

Mello rolled his eyes. "Then, 'Linda' will blow up. Are you happy now?!"  
Fee grinned, nodding her head eagerly before rubbing her hands together in delight. "Excellent…For once, Willy, you've made a plan that works."

Mello opened his mouth to speak, but his attention was directed towards the doorway. Ross stood proudly with a sleek, black notebook wrapped sloppily in a handkerchief in his hands. Fee sat on the floor in confusion, looking back and forth between the two men who now wore the same terrifying smirk.

Her eyes wandered to the very notebook in Ross's hands and froze there; the words "Death Note" staring back at her with an undeniable and chilling presence.

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Fee sat quietly in a corner of the room, watching in silence as Mello flipped nonchalantly through the notebook. Her eyes were almost unblinking; locked on such a small but powerful weapon of death being tossed to and fro like a toy. Matt had finally emerged from the abyss; taking a seat beside her with a laid-back smile.

"Hey; what're you staring at?"  
"I don't like it."

Matt frowned, his eyes suddenly becoming full of concern. "Don't like what?"  
"That…_thing_. It's not right."  
"Well, of course it isn't. That's what Kira used…what he _uses_ to kill people. If we have it, though, then things can't get worse, right?"

Fee slowly shook her head. "It's a notebook that kills people, Matt. It doesn't matter who gets it; it will always fall into the wrong hands."

The very spoken of notebook suddenly shot right out of Mello's hands, as though out of its own will. Mello's jaw dropped as it flew in the air and landed on top of one of his henchman's head, whose name was Kal Snyder.

"The…uh….the notebook just flew," Mello murmured; completely at a loss for words.  
"Thank you, Captain Obvious. Would you like a cape and mask, or just a little pin to put on your vest?" Fee remarked sarcastically, watching in both amazement and amusement as Snyder removed the notebook from atop his head in confusion. He held the notebook in his hands and turned his head; eyes suddenly going wide. He let out a bloodcurdling scream as he fell to the floor; trembling in fear.

"B-Boss! Who is this?! The g-guy in the freaky costume! _What the hell is he?_" Snyder shouted.  
"Now, Snyder, I know Matt isn't the most beautiful thing in the world, but there's no need to be rude," Fee said with a smirk. Snyder shook his head rapidly, staring off into space.

"N-No! He says you can see him if you all touch the notebook!" he shouted, throwing the Death Note on the table. The entire group in the mafia gave each other glances before complying; taking turns to place their hands on the notebook.

One by one, everyone had had their turn to touch the notebook of death. One by one, in such an order, screams were heard every man after the other, staring at an unknown entity in terror. Matt and Mello stared off as well; eyes wide, but not frightened enough to scream. Fee scanned the room in worry and confusion.

"What the hell is going on?! Let me touch it!"  
Immediately, Matt snapped back to reality, making a dive for the notebook on the table. "F-Fee, no!"

Matt groaned in defeat when he fell to the floor, having failed his attempt at preventing Fee from touching the notebook. The blue haired girl lifted it in her hands, running her fingers across the surface in curiosity. Slowly, she glanced upward and right into the eyes of a hideous monster.

A grin made its way across her face, her eyes brightening. "Hello there," she greeted.

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Fee brought her face dangerously close to that of the monster's, a smile still plastered on her face. Matt frowned worriedly; his arms wound around her waist as he attempted to tug her away from it.

"So, you're a real shinigami, right?"  
"Yep," it mumbled, its mouth full of chocolate that Mello had given it in exchange for information on the notebook.  
"What's your name?"  
"I'm Sidoh. Why would you care, though? You're rather strange, for a human."

"Sometimes I doubt that," Matt scoffed, still tugging at her waist. Fee pouted, turning towards Mello. "Willy, can we keep it? Please?"

Mello sat stiffly, focused on the wall with a chocolate bar held firmly between his teeth. "Sidoh, go wait outside," he said suddenly, his tone harsh and forceful. "It'll be very convenient for us that you can't be seen by humans. _Got it?_"

Sidoh whined before obeying; floating sulkily out the door. Matt gave one final tug that caused Fee to fall on his lap with her head on his shoulder. He waggled his eyebrows perversely.  
"Come here often?"  
"I will eat you," she threatened, bearing her teeth.

A few moments passed in peace; a tensed peace, but peace nonetheless. This peace was then broken by the sound of choking as henchmen collapsed, grabbing at their chests in agony. Fee found herself curling further into Matt's chest as she numbly watched the bodies hit the floor and create a carpet of the deceased.

Fee stared at Mello expectantly; adrenaline coursing through her veins. "Willy…what's going on?"

Mello's face had gone pale, though his expression remained hardened and cold. "Matt…take Fee far away from here. Don't you dare say a word against me; just go, both of you."  
"M-Mels…."

Swiftly, Mello grabbed a remote from his pocket and pressed the first and second buttons. Fee stumbled as she felt the ground shudder in accordance with an explosion from down the hall.  
"W-Willy, what are you going to--"

Mello glared furiously at Fee. "_Get out._ I'm 'okay', remember?"

It was as though she were in a trance when Matt slipped his hand into hers and yanked her away from him; her eyes never broke the stare. The two of them slipped out through the fire escape, leaving Mello to fight his own battle; to him, God vs. the mortals.

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"We have to go, Fee, please. Mello will call us if he needs--"  
"Matt, we're leaving with Willy or not at all."

Matt sighed, leaning his head back against the driver's seat of the car as he ran a hand through his hair. Fee crossed her arms in defiance.

"Fee…he'll be okay."  
"That doesn't mean we're leaving."

"Fee, please," he said almost gently, leaning forwards to nuzzle his face in the nape of her neck. "You're going to make me worry."

"Matt, I am not prepared to lose either of you. There is no way in hell I'm going to be alone again," she hissed, putting her hand against his cheek and pushing him away.

"Look, he can handle himself. With that remote, he's got control over the base that was wired with explosives. If the cops aren't stupid, they'll let him out unless they want to get--"

"T-Three…," Fee uttered, her voice cracking.  
"What?"

Her eyes widened as she struggled with the handle to let herself out of the car. Moving as though in slow motion, she stumbled away from the vehicle to stare at the base in the distance. Matt was close behind her; frightened and concerned.  
"F-Fee?"  
"There were three, Matt. Three buttons…"  
_  
I can handle this._  
"No, Willy, you can't."  
_I have to. By any means necessary._  
"Even if it means dying?"

Matt watched in silence as Fee raised her arm, her thumb poised on the button of an imaginary remote. She took a shaky breathe with her eyes glued on the Mafia based, though tears blurred her vision.

"….Click."  
_Boom._

* * *

"_Gone like an angel with wings, let me burn tonight. I was running in circles; I hurt myself just to find my purpose. Everything was so worthless, I didn't deserve this..." -"Circles" by Hollywood Undead.  
_


	18. Eighteen: Perfections

**Me: .... *screams while sobbing***

**Mello: WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED?! MATT, WHERE IS HER OFF BUTTON??**

**Me: YOU GUYSSSSSSSSSS ;_____; THIS UPDATE IS LIKE A WEEK LATE!!!! NO ONE FREAKING READS THIS ANYMORE!**

**Matt: WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! OF COURSE THEY DO!**

**Mello: Wait...if no one reads it, does that mean we can leave now? *hopeful eyes***

**Me: NO, you're trapped here forever. **

**Mello: -____-**

**Me: I AM SO SORRY, it is just that school has been rough, but now I've gotten some time to get back to writing...IF ANYONE IS STILL ALIVE TO READ *sobs again***

**Matt: N-NO, LOOK, YOU GOT TONS OF NEW AWESOME REVIEWERS! This shall cheer you up:**

**A_New_Type_Of_Sanity: **Oh... Mello...

I just want to tell you that a painted four murals on my walls in my room, dedicated to Fee, Matt, and Mello.

The first was of Matt, Mello and Fee. The second was a Blaze Red Rose (Matt), a Marsh Blue Violet (Fee), and a Royal Gold Rose (Mello). The third was a Butterfly, with the same colors, and two M's around an F, around a panda in a meadow, with an L in the background. The fourth was of a few moments of when they met, Matt kicking the bush Fee was in, meeting Mello, Matt writing on Fee's shoulder, stuff like that. Basically, I drew doujin on my wall, to the point where my mom is letting me draw in an empty room in my house. I think I got it from my brother, he's an artist... I just wish I had a camera to show you.

Oh, and if you kill Mello, Fee, as Goddess of this World will send you to the deepest pits of hell. And I'll make Kelsey send Psyche after you.

Do you remember Psyche, Mello? DO YOU?! Because she remembers you... and will surely cause you more 'trauma', if you know what I mean.

**Me: HOLY CRAP THAT SOUNDS FREAKING MAGICAL :DDD I'm now inspired to re-paint my room and doodle all over it. BUT IF YOU REALLY DID THAT, THAT'S LIKE THE ULTIMATE FORM OF FLATTERY! xD**

**Matt: Also, according to the next review, Mello acquired SUPER POWERS in the previous chapter:**

**TheEvilMuffinToaster: **Superhero Willy...SUPERHERO WILLY SAVING ALL WITH HIS SUPERHERO POWERS! CAN HE EAT CHOCOLATE? YES HE CAN! CAN HE BLOW UP MAFIA BASES? YES HE CAN! CAN HE BE SEXY? YES HE CAN! CAN HE KIDNAP PEOPLE? YES HE CAN! DUNDUNADUN SUPERHERO WILLY!

I AM SO HAPPY YOU UPDATED MISSEH THAT RIGHT NOW I AM CRYING TEARS OF JOY WHILE STIMINTAINOUSLY TAKING OVER THE WORLD. RIGHT NOW I WANT TO NAME A MISSLE LINDA AND MAKE IT BLOW UP. AND SUPERHERO WILLY IS PROBABLY THE COOLEST SUPERHERO THERE IS. I HOPE YOU UPDATE SOON BECAUSE THE IDEA OF FEE KICKING MELLO DOWN THE STAIRS FOR BEING SO STUPID SEEMS TO BE FOREVER EMBLAZONED IN MY BRAIN. I THINK THIS STORY HAS BROUGHT OUT THE FEE SIDE OF ME. AND I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M TYPING IN CAPS. I THINK MY BRAIN BROKE.

**Me: I WANT SUPER POWERS! HELLS YEAH, LET'S BLOW UP A BASE--**

**Mello: WITH YOU INSIDE? I SUPPORT YOU FULLY.**

**Me: =3=**

**Matt: Mello, I wouldn't suggest angering her right now... o.o**

**Mello: Why?**

**escape-into-myself: **GAH! write more please! You are so amazing. I'm even rubbing my computer monitor in hopes that someof your epicness will rub off on me. UPDATE!

**Me: Oh...Wait a minute...So people's awesomeness can rub off on you if you literally rub them?**

**Mello and Matt: O.O *backs away slowly***

**Me: NO! MELLO AND MATT, GET BACK HERE SO THAT I MAY RUB MYSELF ON YOU AND STEAL SOME OF YOUR AWESOMENESS!!**

**Near: That comment was sexually suggestive. Also, Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. She does own the OC, Fee. I do not know how I got here. Please help.  
**

**_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
**

Eighteen: Perfections

Fee couldn't tell what hurt more: the tears that stung her eyes, the hot ash that rained down with a fury, or the flames that licked at her feet and melted the rubber soles of her boots as she ran carelessly into the remains of the explosion.  
Perhaps it may have been that she had just witnessed her best friend blow himself up into bits and pieces, and there was nothing she could've done to stop it.

_"Fee!" _

She could hear Matt following her and calling out, but she kept moving forward. She coughed into her sleeve as breathing was becoming harder and harder to do. The smell of burning flesh wafted through the air and made her heave as dead bodies of deceased members of the mafia and the police caught in the blaze were scattered throughout the blazing aftermath of the explosion.

Despite the chaos of all the sights, sounds, and smells that assaulted her senses, Fee heard something that made her stop dead in her tracks. It was faint and almost delicate, but the tiny sound of a hoarse _cough_ struck a cord within her; sending her sprinting towards the source.

"Willy!" she screamed out. "Willy, where are you?!"

"Fee!" Matt yelled, having finally caught up to her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her in the opposite direction, but she tore herself violently out of his grip.  
"Fee, what's left of the place is going to come crashing down any minute!"

"We're_ not_ leaving without Willy!" she hissed, turning back around to search for her fallen companion. Once again, she heard a faint_ cough_ from a closer distance than before, sending her legs to run as fast as physically possible in that direction.

"W-Willy! Willy!" she yelled. Squinting through the thick smoke, she saw the thin frame of just who she was searching so desperately for crushed beneath a burning support beam. As though it were her own life that depended on it, she lashed out at the wood and pushed with all her might. Matt soon appeared behind her; out of breathe yet still finding the adrenaline in him to help Fee push the beam off Mello's limp body.

Everything moved in slow motion as Matt picked his forsaken friend up; his charred body like a rag doll in his arms. Through the smoke and the tears, Fee prayed that the monstrous bleeding wound on the side of his face was an illusion.

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_"Why did this have to…? …..Face…..permanently there….."_  
_"It's not your fault…..no options….strong…."_

Mello could only hear morphed voices. He was so out of it that the conversation was choppy; bits and pieces of it that he could understand, however, gave off a dark mood that sent chills down his spine. His mind was spinning as he tried to recollect his memory of what had happened.

_I had the Death Note, but then the police flooded the base. There was no way out, but I had the remote--_

_Oh God…_

Icy blue eyes shot open as Mello suddenly sat upright from where he lay on the couch of the motel apartment. He regretted the decision almost immediately as unimaginable pain shot through his body. He screamed in agony as his muscles spasmed uncontrollably in response. Matt and Fee rushed to his aid; Matt held him down as Fee opened his mouth and force-fed him powerful (and illegally obtained) painkillers. After a few moments, the pain dulled enough for him to rigidly lay back down, though his breathing remained uneven.

"M-Mels…Calm down. You're not exactly in the best situation to be moving around like that."  
"Calm…_Down? What the fuck is going on!?" _he demanded, his hand traveling upwards to his face. His eyes went wide as his fingers ghosted over the bandages wrapped around his head.

"W-What…what happened?"

"Well, Willy, when someone blows a building to smithereens with themselves inside, there tends to be pretty fucking dire _consequences_," Fee hissed, her tone bitter. Matt placed a hand on her shoulder, silently telling her to be more considerate.

"Mels…there was some pretty extensive damage. I'm no surgeon, so bandaging it up was the best I could do…," Matt said in a near whisper, sadness dripping off each word as he failed to hide his emotions. Mello's heart raced in panic, his hand moving upwards again to touch the bandages.

"It…..will heal. Right?"  
No response.  
_"Right?"_

Matt half-nodded, his expression forcibly contorted to look as comforting as he possibly could pretend to be. "I'm sure it will. I mean…there will be scar tissue, but….It'll be fine. Right, Fee?" he said warmly, turning to the girl next to her.

Fee, however, did not wear the same comforting expression. She hung her head in unison with her hunched shoulders as she stared at the floor; her hands balled into fists at her sides. Time froze when her hand shot upwards and grabbed the edge of Mello's bandages, holding it tightly. In one swift move, she yanked them off his head, revealing the red eroded flesh that was once half of Mello's face.

Fee stood up, her cheeks flushed as she glared Matt down in a rage. "Matt, look Willy in the eyes. _Look at him and tell him to his face that 'It'll be fine'_."

Matt's eyes went wide as he looked up at Fee ; his bottom lip quivering. His began to stare at the floorboards as he found himself unable to make eye contact with Mello. The blonde felt sickened by the terror that struck his heart.

Fee scoffed. "That's right, _you can't_," she spat, storming off. Matt glanced at Mello for a split second before chasing after her, leaving Mello to absorb the consequences of his actions on his own.

Ice blue eyes stared up at the ceiling as the salt of Mello's own tears could be tasted on his trembling lips.

_….What now?_

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Black on white had always been a haunting concept to Fee. Whenever her hand brought down the sharpie against the previously pure white wall, she knew her inner demons had won. It pained her to see the darkness take over, but at the same time, it was like a release; her outlet for all her frustrations. Now, in the current situation, this outlet had become her lifeline.

Fee considered herself Magnificently Magnificent. Now, as she felt herself and everyone around her trapped in a downward spiral, she couldn't tell which way was up anymore.

_Not so magnificent now, am I?_

"Fee?"

The silence was broken as Matt entered the room to the unsightly scene of Fee huddled in the corner, stabbing the wall with that all-too familiar marker. He walked over cautiously, sitting beside her hunched form.

"…I don't know what you were thinking in there, honestly. That sort of behavior isn't what Mello needs right now."

Fee remained silent as she stared angrily at the wall; pouting like a child. Matt sighed, smiling inwardly. _She's so stubborn…_

"I used to envy him, you know," she murmured quietly. Matt tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"Willy…It was like even in the worst of situations, he'd make do with what he had. Everything he _touches_ turns to gold, whereas if I so much as look at something, it rusts."

Matt opened his mouth to speak, but closed it with a lack for words. Fee turned to face him, eyes half-lid. "Now, I don't think there is anything left to envy. He's becoming desperate for a way to win, and that….scar, it's the evidence."

Fee flinched as a pair of arms wound around her; tighter than she was used to. Matt nuzzled his face into the nape of her neck, and the feeling of his breathe against her skin was enough to make her shiver.  
"You have to stop believing that you need to take care of us 24/7, and Mello needs to stop thinking that he can do this all on his own. Everyone needs someone to lean on."

Fee smirked. "You're so sappy, Matt. You're not going to start singing now, are you?"  
"But my voice is one of an angel," he whined, sticking out his bottom lip.

Fee smiled, tilting her head back to rest on the boy's shoulder. "I suppose I let my emotions get the best of me. I hope Willy didn't take it too badly."  
"Actually….I don't think there's enough chocolate in the world to bring him up to what he used to be."

Fee frowned, her eyes flashing with guilt. She glanced at the mirror on the other end of the room and stared at her reflection in thought.

"….Matt, bear with me for a moment. I've got an idea."

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Mello nearly jumped out of his seat when a pair of hands flew over his eyes; blocking his vision in a familiar game of guess-who.  
"W-What is it? Matt or Fee, what do you want?"

"Don't act so cruelly, Willy. I'm trying to be nice for once."  
"The words 'Fee' and 'nice' should never be used in the same sentence."

Fee smiled, removing her hands to stand in front of the couch where Mello lay. The blonde looked confusedly back and forth between Fee and Matt, who stood next to her.  
"…What have you both got planned for--"

Before he could finish the sentence, Mello found Fee's shirt thrown at his face, much to his dismay. Cautiously, he removed the article of clothing from his line of sight to see Fee, turned around and baring those ancient yet permanent scars that spelled out "Hate" on her back.

"This is to remind you, in case you forgot," she said boldly. Mello remained quiet; continually staring with a blank expression as his hand traveled subconsciously to his face. Matt grabbed Fee's shirt from Mello's grasp and handed it back to her, his face red, as she faced away from both boys to put it back on. She turned around wearing a smile as her hands were poised proudly on her hips.

"We all have our scars, Willy. But don't sweat it; you'll always be the prettiest girl in the room."

_We all have our scars_, he heard her repeat in his mind. The message behind that was enough to remove all doubt from his being.

_You're not fighting alone anymore._

Mello couldn't help but smirk. "I guess that's the closest to comforting I can expect from you. Though, if by 'we' you literally mean all of us, then what scars does Matt have? Besides his irreversibly deformed face, that is."

Matt stuck out his tongue, folding his arms across his chest. "I am beautiful, Mels, NO MATTER WHAT THEY--"

Suddenly, the redhead found himself tackled to the ground by Fee, who fought furiously against him and managed to flip him over onto his stomach.  
"F-Fee, get off!"  
"No!"

In a swift movement, Fee yanked down the edge of Matt's jeans enough to reveal what she wanted to show. She smirked in triumph as Mello's expression was a mix between amusement, disgust, and fear.

"F-Fee….did you….did you write 'Property of Fee' on Matt's _ass_?"  
"No duh, Willy. Now, would you quit looking so dumbstruck long enough to get the camera and help take a group photo?"

Despite his resistance, Mello found himself grinning as he rushed to the opposite room; coming back in a matter of seconds with the camera in hand like a weapon of mass destruction. While tossing it to Fee, she made a grab for his leg and brought him tumbling downwards to sit awkwardly on the floor. The blue haired girl held the camera high above them as she held a 'thumbs up' with her other hand.

An awkward red-head with his bare behind in the air; an excited girl with a crazed grin; a short-tempered blonde scarred by the consequences of his mistakes: The strangest of freakish-looking human beings that made the prettiest of pictures.

* * *

"_Someone filled up my heart with nothin'; someone told me not to cry. But now that I'm older, my heart's colder, and I can see that it's a lie." _-"Wake UP" by The Arcade Fire.


	19. Nineteen: Conspiracy Theories

**Me: HI EVERYONE *awkward glances***

**Mello: This update is late. And you know it.**

**Me: *whispers* HUSH! THEY'LL KNOW IT IF YOU TELL THEM, BUT MAYBE IF I ACT NORMAL, THEY WON'T BE AS MAD! *sweet smile***

**Mello: -____-**

**Me: .....OH WHAT'S THE USE. I am so so SO terribly sorry for the late update, it's just that school is being a real ass. However, I promise to get back to updating in a timely manner.**

**Matt: Oh, look at you, using big words like "timely manner" and being all proper. *British Accent* Yes, yes, quite, old chap. *sips tea***

**Me: SHUSH, MATT. Anyway, here's the usual recap of the last chapter:**

**0o_Grimmjow_Schiffer_o0: **...wow, just wow.

**Me: IS THAT A GOOD "WOW" OR A BAD "WOW"?**

**Matt: IT'S A SHAMWOW! It soaks up the fucking UNIVERRRSEEEEEE.  
**

**Me: YES. Oh, and while I was gone, I discovered two very pleasing things: 1) NEW AND AWESOME REVIWERS :D (Thou knowest why thy are, and specifically, Kay_Kays_'96 who took the time to review EVERY FLIPPIN' CHAPTER) and 2) Apparently, I have multiple wives on FF. OwO**

**Mello: You....YOU'RE CHEATING ON ME??**

**Me: NO! You see, I can have as many "wives" and fictional husbands AS I PLEASE. Because I basically control your actions anyway, Mello. A Wifely example:**

**escape-into-myself: **I think I love you Missehkeehl. Even though I am a woman and a straight one at that, I still love you. Best. Mattxoc. EVAR!

-gets on one knee and proposes-

**Me: WHY CAN'T YOU BE LIKE THAT, MELLO?!**

**Mello: I DON'T EVEN LIKE YOU!**

**Me: YES YOU DO. I see that shrine you have of me in your bathroom, and DON'T YOU DENY IT.**

**Matt: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. She does, however, own the OC, Fee. Any references to the actual DN plot are from a mixture of both the anime and the manga.**

**

* * *

**

Nineteen: Conspiracy Theories

Fee stared at the picture that Mello slammed down on the table in front of here. In it was a fairly pretty Japanese girl; her blond hair tied into pigtails near the top of her head while the rest of her hair was left loose.

"….Fuck. I was hoping Linda would get ugly with age," she remarked. Mello rolled his eyes, pushing the photograph forward.

"This is Misa Amane: Most famous for her acting and modeling, and less famous for being the supposed second Kira."

Fee raised her eyebrows; eyes flickering back and forth between the photo and Mello. "You're telling me_ this_ girl is the second Kira? She looks like a Barbie doll, for God's sake! There's no way she's killed people," Fee denied, pointing her finger down at the picture.

"Well, it's the truth. You should also know that looks can be deceiving," he scoffed, picking up the picture and staring at it in slight distaste. "Anyway, I'm just giving you notice in advance that this girl, suspected of being the second Kira, is why we're going back to New York. That, and I've got some…unfinished business with Near."

"Wait, we're going_ back_? Why do we keep moving back and forth so much?"  
"It's necessary for me to get ahead of the game. I've already made preparations, so there's no point in arguing."

Fee scoffed. "Whatever. I wonder if New York missed its dear old 'Fantom'. They'd better have a friggin' _parade_ ready for my glorious return," she boasted, imagining the grand celebration in her mind.

Mello rolled his eyes once more as he spun on his heels to go in the opposite direction. He nonchalantly tossed the photograph into a nearby trash bin as he made his way to Matt's room to give him the news. Fee crossed her arms defiantly, though she couldn't help but smile the tiniest bit.

_Getting to work as soon as possible, I see. Looks like you've finally got your confidence back, Willy._

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Matt put down the last of his bags on the floor as Fee zoomed past him; twirling in circles as she explored the new apartment.  
"New York, New York; it's good to be back. C'mon, Matt, breathe the good polluted city air!"  
"No thanks, I think my cigarettes will do the trick as far as getting lung cancer goes."

Mello threw his bags on the floor, one foot still outside the door of the apartment. His eyes snapped towards Matt; his face stern. "Matt, go put our bags in the other room," he demanded. The redhead gave him a quizzical look before obliging; carrying the heavy bags in his arms as he waddled down the hallway.

Once Matt was gone, Mello turned to Fee, his expression deadly serious. "I'm going now to take care of the business with Near I mentioned. Don't tell Matt under _any_ circumstances, and yes, that means you're staying here too."

Fee frowned, placing her hands on her hips. "Why should I listen to you?"  
"For one, if you tell Matt, he's bound to follow me and screw things up. Secondly, you can't drive, so you depend on him to get around, and crushing your plans of possibly following me by yourself; that is, unless you're particularly fond of walking until your feet bleed."

Fee stared at him heatedly for a moment before replying. "Fine. What do you want us to do while you're gone?"

The blue haired girl found a familiar photograph thrown at her face, much to her distaste. "Tell Matt he's to keep a tab on Misa," Mello directed.

The blonde grabbed his coat and hastily put it on while opening the entrance simultaneously. He turned to look over his shoulder a final time, halfway out the door. "Matt doesn't know, but I left my regular cell here. If you need me, I have a disposable one. The number's on the back of the photograph. Mind you, it's for emergencies_ only_."  
"What if--"  
"No, if something, most likely Matt, catches fire, that doesn't necessarily count as a _dire_ emergency."

Hesitantly, Fee gave a short nod as she watched him go to an unknown destination. She flinched when she heard footsteps behind her, accompanied by the exhausted sigh of a familiar baggage boy.  
"Damn, those things were heavy…Hey, where'd Mello go?" Matt asked, looking around in confusion.  
"To a male strip club. He'll be back in a few days."  
"Oh."

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_Tick….Tock….Tick….Tock…_

Fee sat on the floor, paralyzed with boredom as she watched the second hand on the clock twitch with every second that passed. Her eyes flickered to stare at Matt, and to her disappointment, he remained in the same hunched position in front of the computer he was in an hour ago.

Slowly, she rose from the floor and walked over to stand behind him; placing her hands over his eyes .  
"Fee, you know I've got to monitor Misa."  
"Oh, shut up, since when are you so diligent about_ anything_?"  
"Since now. This is Kira we're talking about."

Fee sighed, leaning over his shoulder while still keeping his eyes covered in order to stare at the computer screen. On it was a visual of Misa playing cards with a large, muscled man; a quiet, normal, and uninteresting scene.  
"This has got to be the worst T.V. show I've ever seen. They should cancel it."  
"Fee, c'mon, I've got to--"

In a swift movement, Fee removed one hand from his eyes long enough to smack the laptop closed. Nearly jumping over the back of the chair, she leapt onto his lap and smirked triumphantly, having silenced him completely.  
"Please, continue. I'd _love _to hear the rest of your argument as I sit ever-so-comfortably on the most sensitive area of your lap."

Matt swallowed hard; sweat droplets rolled down the side of his face. "…C-Could you please g-get off?"  
Fee's smirk widened as she leaned in closer. "No."

Suddenly, a small beep from the laptop sent Matt soaring forward to flip it open and Fee toppling to the floor.  
"Shit! She's leaving the apartment!"  
"Wait, she's in New York?"

Matt sprung to his feet, grabbing his vest and his car keys before dashing for the door. He paused before opening the door and spun around, his finger pointed at Fee and eyes narrowed. "Do._ Not. _Leave."

Fee felt an unknown and burning feeling well up inside her as she watched Matt dash off in pursuit of a girl other than herself.

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Pacing.

Back and forth along the length of the room, Fee paced in both worry and anger from not having any knowledge as to what Matt or Mello was up to.

_Freaking Matt… If you're so obsessed with Misa, why don't you just MARRY her and--_

Fee's train of thought was stopped by the vibrating of a phone on the table. She glanced over to see Mello's cell on its way over the edge, to which she responded by dashing over and catching it moments before it hit the floor. She stared blankly at the phone now in her hands; contemplating whether or not to pick it up.

_It's Matt calling…He must still think Mello has his regular phone with him. Should I answer?_

Cerulean eyes flickered left and right, as though checking if anyone was watching. After a few seconds, she inhaled and held her breathe before flipping the phone open; not saying a word, but simply listening.

"…Mels?" Matt murmured on the other line. "Uh, look, I've been keeping a tab on Misa, just like you've asked. Anyway, I'm tailing her and that Mogi guy now; they're out shopping."

Matt paused for a reaction, and when he heard none, he sighed and continued. "You know, Mello, I'm not so sure about your theory with her being the 'second Kira'. I mean, if you'll pardon my expression…she's an awfully cute Japanese girl, and not so much a murder--"

_"…..Cute?"_

Matt felt his heart stop as he became petrified with fear at the sound of Fee's voice. He opened his mouth to explain himself quickly, but was responded to by a dial tone on the other line.

_……FUCK._

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The entrance to the apartment Matt, Mello, and Fee shared was nearly knocked off its hinges as Matt barged his way in, gasping for breathe after speeding his way back home. All the lights were off, causing his panic to rise.

"….F-Fee?" he called out cautiously. His voice echoed throughout the complex eerily before a single light was turned on in the living room by none other than Fee herself. Upon turning on the lights, Matt's breathe hitched in his throat at what he saw.

"F-Fee, how the_ fuck_ d-did you get the couch on the _ceiling_?!" he yelled, his voice high-pitched. The blue haired girl shrugged, dipping a spoon into a tub of chocolate ice cream she held tightly in her arms.

"Matt, honey, when powered by anger and chocolate, a girl is capable of _anything_."

Matt gulped, taking a step back as they both fell silent. Fee smirked, the spoon poised on her tongue.  
"……F-Fee, you know, I c-can explain what I s-said on the--"

"Shut up," she commanded, taking the spoon out of her mouth and pointing it towards him. Her devious smirk widened as she took a step forward. Beads of sweat dripped down Matt's face as he walked away from her until his back was pressed against the wall.

"Fee, _put the spoon down_. I mean it!"  
Fee bared her canines.  
"….Fee? Fee! ……_FEE, NO_!"

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A certain temperamental blonde reached into his pocket at he heard his phone ring. He hissed in annoyance as he flicked it open with his thumb, holding it to his ear.

"What did I tell you? This phone is for emergencies_ only_."  
_"I know, Willy. I'm just calling to annoy you, and also the let you know that I'm currently driving Matt's car without a license while he's unconscious in the back seat. Oh, and I plan on following that Misa chick for myself, since I suspect Matt of having a slight infatuation with her. Aside from that, everything's just dandy!"_  
"……Wonderful," he seethed, snapping the phone shut. His burning glare was directed forwards once again to meet the emotionless eyes of a certain genius albino.

"Sorry about that," he mumbled, removing his hood to reveal his newly acquired scar to Near and to his prestigious SPK. He looked around the grand headquarters with disgust, glancing back towards Near. "It seems like things have been going _just _as you planned, Near."

"Yes. I take it you've already heard about the second L from Lidner by now. I've pretty much figured out who Kira is, and it's mostly thanks to everything you've done, Me--"

The rage inside of Mello had finally boiled over. Swiftly, he pointed his gun right at Near's head; his entire arm trembling both in uncertainty and anticipation. He clenched his teeth as his eyes narrowed to slits. "_Shut up, Near!_ I'm not just a tool for you to use to solve your puzzles, you know!"

"Mello…if you really want to shoot me, go ahead and do it."

The supposedly confident blonde was taken back by the statement; such audacity and fearlessness in the face of death made him frightful; jealous, even. His finger trembled on the trigger, causing another agent to leap into action. The agent, Halle, place her hand on the gun, her expression cold.

"Stop! If you shoot, we'll have no choice but to shoot you, too! What will it solve if you both die? It's just what Kira wants!"

Mello grunted, staring emotionlessly at Halle while slowly lowering his arm. "You have a good point." His glare was then directed then towards Near. "Anyway, I only came here for one thing. I came to take back the photograph you have."

"Of course," Near replied, reaching into his pocket. "I got it from the orphanage. This is the only one; no copies have been made. I've dealt with everyone in and out of Wammy's who knows your face, and they'll keep quiet." He flicked the photo in the blonde's direction.  
"…Is that the only business you had with me, Mello?"  
"Near…let's get one thing straight. I have no intention of working together with you on this case."  
"I know."  
"At the same time, I can't just take my photo and leave, so I'll settle my debt….The killer notebook belongs to a shinigami; anyone who touches it is able to see a god of death."

Mello smirked inwardly at the reaction he received from his "audience" in the room; the feeling of empowerment pleasing. "The notebook I obtained previously belonged to another shinigami; perhaps even Kira himself. Also, some of the rules written inside are actually fake. That's all I'll say for now."

Mello turned around, putting his hood back on as he prepared to take his leave.  
"…Near."  
"Mello."  
"Which of us is going to reach Kira first, I wonder?"  
"The race is on."  
"We're both headed towards the same destination. I'll be waiting for you at the finish line."

"You've got a lot to lose, Mello. Are you so sure about that?"

Mello clenched his fists as his mind recalled the colors of red and blue. He shook those regretful feelings off quickly, however, and focused on the checkered flag of victory that was waiting for him.

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Matt woke up in the trunk of his own car.

His head pounded as he lolled it from side to side; still in the clutches of unconsciousness. His eyes, initially half-lid from exhaustion, shot open when he realized where he was. He kicked around in the darkness of the trunk until one of his kicks successfully threw the trunk open, sending bright light flooding in. He toppled out and rolled onto the floor, greeted by the bright blue sky and plenty of frightened stares from innocent bystanders.

_Think, Matt, think_, he told himself. _You went back home, saw Fee….something with the couch on the ceiling and spoons….then it all goes blank._

He squinted as he sat upright, taking a good look around. _What the hell? Where am I? Is this a…street fair?_

Twirling his head in circles, his theory was confirmed. Matt was surrounded by stands, large crowds, and an occasional clown or two. He slowly stood up on his wobbly feet, taking a few steps forward. His hands patted his pockets and, not to his surprise, found them empty.

_No phone, no cash…How the fuck am I supposed to find Fee and Misa?_

Matt found himself then wandering helplessly around the fair; trying his best to keep his eyes peeled for Fee. However, while searching for blue, he struck gold.

In front of a cotton candy stand was Misa, clutching onto Mogi's arm as she giggled giddily. She smiled upwards at the stand manager, who….

_Wait…is that….Fee?!_

Matt dashed to hide behind a nearby vending machine before peeking out slightly to get a better view. His eyes went wide to see Fee, clad in overalls and a painfully obvious fake mustache, serving her self-assumed "arch-nemesis" cotton candy.

"So, little miss," Fee mumbled in a lower tone. "Have you…got a boyfriend?! A lover? Friends with benefits?"

Misa cocked her head to the side in confusion. "…Excuse me? Misa does not understand why you'd want to know!"  
"Oh, you must be a foreigner. You see, in New York, it's often customary for venders to ask this of all their customers."  
"Really? Misa did not know! Well…yes, Misa has a boyfriend she loves very much!"

Fee quirked a brow; stirring the cotton candy stick in the vat with one hand while stroking her mustache with the other. "Oh, is that so? Do tell!"  
"Pardon me, but since when does serving cotton candy involve so much--"  
"Hush, Mogi, when the lady is talking!" Fee barked, sticking a finger right at his face.  
"W-Wait, how do you know my name?"

Fee waved off Mogi's question and focused solely on Misa. "Continue, please."  
"Well, Misa's boyfriend loves her very much. He's fit, handsome, and a genius…"  
"Yes?" Fee said, urging her to continue.  
"He has pretty eyes, a way with words, and a wonderful personality…"  
_"Yes?"_  
"He has many talents, a strong sense of justice, and…."  
_"YES?!_" Fee nearly yelled, leaning halfway over the counter.

"He's very hardworking!"

Fee's face immediately fell; disinterest and even disappointment written all over her expression. "Oh….You're obviously not talking about M--"  
Misa screamed when a hooded figure suddenly jumped up from behind the counter; grabbing the mysterious "cotton candy vendor" by the arms and pulling "him" to the floor. The two struggled for a good five minutes before the vendor emerged once again, obviously victorious.

"D-Do not be alarmed!" Fee assured. "T-That is just my brother….Martin! He is mentally challenged, you see; that little rascal just loves to wrestle!"

A hand suddenly shot upwards and grabbed at Fee's face, taking her mustache clean off. Misa looked horrified as Mogi took her arm and pulled her farther and farther away from the counter in worry.

"N-No! That happens all the time!" Fee said, shaking her head rapidly. Despite her excuses, Misa and Mogi still walked away as quickly as they could to get back to their fair activities.

Fee sighed, leaning over the counter to watch them as Matt stared at her from the floor. Cautiously, he went from lying down to crouching just so that his head peeked over the counter. He rested his chin on the edge and stared at her; his expression apologetic.

"Lose the puppy dog look; it's unattractive," she remarked, not turning to look at him. Matt scooted over to lean against her side; nudging her persistently. She sighed in defeat, finally glancing over her shoulder to look at him.

"…Look, you can stop the act. I already owned your ass with a spoon, so you can call yourself forgiven."  
Matt smiled slightly; standing up fully and wrapping his arms around her while nuzzling his face into the nape of her neck. "Don't ever act so stupidly again, because you should know better that I'd never do anything to hurt--"  
"Cut the sappy shit and just hug me."

Matt happily obliged, holding onto her waist more tightly. She glanced over to watch Misa once more, and a smirk found its way to her lips.

"Ah, so_ that's_ what happiness looks like."  
Matt lifted his head in curiosity. "Hmm? What does it look like?"

Fee jerked her chin in Misa's direction. "Beautiful and clueless; that's what."

Matt planted a quick kiss on her cheek. "I'm not so sure about that."  
"Well, you look pretty happy to me, Matt."  
"……Oh, very funny."

* * *

_"Out on the main streets, completing your mission. And she spoke words that would melt in your hands. And she spoke words of wisdom..." -"_Undercover Martyn" by Two Door Cinema Club.

* * *

**A/N: COUCHES ON THE CEILING. **

**Matt: HELLS YEAH.**

**Me: MATT! You must explain yourself:**

**.: **I think this is officially my favorite MattxOC on Fanfic!  
[squee~]

Quote:  
"Right, Fee?" he said warmly, turning to the girl next to her.  
Unquote.  
IS MATT HAVING GENDER ISSUES? Because right thurr, he turns towards the girl next to 'her'. :D~

**Me: WELL, MATT?! ARE YOU HAVING GENDER ISSUES?!**

**Matt: WHAT?! You made a typo! ADMIT IT!**

**Me: NO. I REFUSE *hackNOBODY'SPERFECT,IGOTTAWORKIThack***

**Matt: -________-**

**Me: Don't make me ask again, Matt. WHAT ARE YOU?!**

**Matt: I'm Mello status.**

**Mello: I will make Fee fucking woop your ass with a spoon for a second time if you don't shut up.  
**


	20. Twenty: Destruction

**Matt: HAY DEAREST READERS! :D Well, you see, Misseh is currently behind an impenetrable wall of solitude for the sake of her own safety.**

**Mello: She fears the bombardment of angry-ness after she still updated late, EVEN AFTER SHE PROMISED NOT TO *cough***

**Me: *yelling from a distance* SHUT UP! YOU GUYS DON'T EVEN GO TO SCHOOL!**

**Matt: Psh, we're _gorgeous badass geniuses. _We don't NEED school!**

**Me: SHUT UP AND JUST THANK THE REVIEWERS ALREADY.**

**Mello: *holds up a rainbow sign saying "Magical Review Features Time"***

**No_Reality_Available: **Matt, Mello, and Fee...

Now THIS is a threesome I can get behind :D

**Me: FREAKING. LOL. BAHAHHAHAHA :D**

**Matt: At this point, with all the _ladies~ _that love me, this is probably a 19875424563062....some.**

**Me: Keep telling yourself that -___-**

**sakura1243: **So, I'm sitting there thinking about it. . . .

And I'm thinking that Fee just made spoons more dangerous (and epic?) than sporks.

. . . . That takes mad skill, yo.

**Matt: Mad skizzlez, mah nizzlez *gan$ster-ish pose***

**Mello: Matt, you're doing it so wrong I just may have to shoot you for your failure.**

**Matt: D:**

**escape-into-myself: **Missehkeehl, do not be alarmed, but with your writing talents I think you might possibly be jesus.

And if I'm your wifey, then go MAKE ME A SAMMICH!

(I 3 you)

**Me: AW HELL NAH! YOU DID NOT JUST TELL ME TO GET BACK TO THE KITCHEN. Because that is Matt's job. **

**Matt: I burn water :D**

**Me: ANYWAY, I am SO SO sorry for the late update, but I promise not to allow this to happen again, and this time I will KEEP that promise.**

**Mello: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. She does, however, own Fee, the OC.**

**Me: BTW: Do not let any of Matt or Fee's antics personally offend anyone in this chappie. Those kids need therapy. MOVING ON.  
**

* * *

Twenty: Destruction

_He was in the room again; on one side, the room was brightly lit and had an almost heavenly aura; on the other, a cruel darkness swirled and shivered like it was alive, and ready to consume the light little by little. He stood in the lightness, staring into the darkness like he had many times before; waiting for what he knew would step out of it._

_"Come out, come out, wherever you are," he teased fearlessly. The darkness shook once more, and slowly a hideous monster slithered out. It glared at Mello, even with empty eye sockets, as it licked its misshapen lips that was covered in the innocent blood of a million lives._

_"What do you want?" the blonde hissed. The monster turned its giant head to the side unnaturally, suddenly bearing a frightening grin. It reached a lanky arm into the pulsating darkness and pulled out a large clock; pointing a thin finger at it._

_"Tick…tock….tick…tock…"_

_Icy blue eyes narrowed in confusion. The monster took pleasure in his uncomprehending expression as it reared its head back, licking its lips again. At the snap of the monster's fingers, the darkness spewed up a large, black notebook, which the monster held delicately. It flipped to the first page with a grin, and turned the book around to show Mello what was written:_

**_Mihael Keehl._**  
**_Mail Jeevas._**

_"Time is running out," it cackled. "Time is running out, time is running out, time is running out!"_

_"Shut up!" Mello screamed, taking a step forward threateningly. The monster recoiled backwards into the darkness for a moment, but regained its confidence as it scooped up a piece of the darkness and let it drip through its fingers. The dripping black shadows began to take a shape, and were soon a perfect image of a blue-haired girl. She looked at Mello with sad eyes for a split moment before the monster smashed his palm flat on her, turning her into nothing but a pile of dust._

_Mello couldn't breathe as his entire body shook with a fear that felt fatal. The monster smirked again as the darkness began to consume the light and capture the blonde in it._  
_"Time is running out," it growled before everything went black._

Mello suddenly jerked awake, sending the mountain of papers he had fallen asleep on fluttering to the floor. His breathing was shallow and quickened as he struggled to calm his pounding heart. Wide blue eyes glanced around the dimly lit room in a panic, as though expecting the vulgar thing of his dreams to appear at any moment. After a few moments of silence, he took a deep breathe in slight relief and rested his head on his desk, overcome by exhaustion.

Sighing, Mello lifted his head to glance at the papers strewn about on the floor. He bent down and lifted up a few, flipping through them to find they were all meaningless reports on Misa.

_"Time is running out…"_

_Am I wasting my time here?_

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_"What?!"_

Fee stood up from where she originally sat next to Matt on the couch, coming face to face with Mello. "How can you just decide to kick us out, just like that?!"

Mello glared Fee down, his eyes narrowed to slits. "I need time to myself to reconsider where this case is going, and I don't need children here if they're just going to make noise."  
Fee pursed her lips in anger as she prodded Mello's chest with her index finger threateningly. "Listen here, Willy,_ I_ make the decisions in this house, and I say that---"

"That we should get going," Matt completed hastily, getting up from the couch and putting his hand over Fee's mouth to stop her from protesting. He then proceeded to drag her all the way to the entryway and out the door, shutting it closed behind him.

_"Matt!_ Let me in, or so help me, I will throw your precious Wii out the window!" she yelled from outside the door; banging her fists furiously against the oak.

"I'll be right out, ok?!" Matt yelled back, attempting to reassure her. He turned his attention back towards Mello and stepped forwards; fixing his posture to stand tall and confidently with his chest puffed out.

"Mello, as your friend and, I guess, 'sidekick', I'm going to tell you right now that if the reason you're kicking us out is because you're about to do something totally stupid, I won't leave."

Mello rolled his eyes as he pressed a sole finger on Matt's chest, quickly deflating it like a balloon. "Three days, Matt; it's all I need. Can you do that?"

Matt frowned, hunching his shoulders. "Well, yeah, I guess."

Mello smirked, reaching into his pocket and taking out a large wad of cash. "You should be able to get by with this. Don't think of this as a separation; think of it as a 'vacation'….all alone with Fee. I only hope that the two of you don't get too crazy, since the image of the product of your and Fee's genes makes me nauseous."

Matt furrowed his brow in confusion. "Wait…are you insinuating what I think you're--"

Before Matt could finish, Mello grabbed him by the shoulders, flipped him to face the opposite direction, and shoved him out the door; slamming it in his face almost too happily.

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The clouds seemed to barely pass over the skyscrapers as they moved with such a speed that Fee believed they were in a race against each other. Her picture-perfect view was soon blocked by Matt's head as he loomed over her; crouching on the pavement which she lay.

"Fee, people are staring."  
"I guess I'm just that good looking, aren't I?"  
"Actually, I was going to say something more along the lines of 'You're lying on the ground in the middle of the sidewalk, where people need to actually _walk_.'"  
"The need to satisfy my boredom is more important than their need to get by."

Matt sighed as he stood up; bending forward, then, to grasp Fee by the arms and tug her to a standing position along with him. She groaned in annoyance, putting all her weight against him; acting as though she had no use of her limbs.

"Fee, I get that you're bored, but that doesn't render you a paraplegic," he groaned, attempting to hold her up.  
"Then do something about it."  
Matt frowned, staring off into space. Suddenly, a recollection of a distant memory sparked a new idea.

"Fee, remember back in Wammy's you once made a list? I think it was---"  
"The Agenda of Awesome Things to Do Before We Die," she rattled off, as though she had it memorized. She grinned madly as she furiously kicked off one of her boots, bending to reach inside and pull out a piece of paper. Matt watched bemusedly as she skimmed through it.

"Well….I copied it onto this paper, but a lot of what's on here is stupid, since I wrote it when we were seven and all….so--"  
"I don't care. We've got three days to kill; we're doing the whole damn thing," Matt declared, taking the list out of her hands and wrapping his free arm around her waist in a swift motion. Fee blinked twice, as though she were in a daze as Matt then took off with her in tow.

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Matt's hand shook nervously as he handed Fee the tiny bag in his hands. Inconspicuously, he locked the doors of the car and rolled up all the windows. Fee flipped the bag in her hands, innocently fascinated as though she were but a child. Matt checked the list again, as he'd done repeatedly for the past ten minutes.

"I don't even want to_ know_ what kind of screwed-up seven year old you were to have put 'Try Weed' on this thing," he mumbled. Reluctantly, he gave the blue-haired girl his trusted lighter and watched, almost sadly, as she lit up her joint.

"Goodbye, innocence," she saluted, smoke pouring out of her mouth as she spoke. Matt slowly edged away from her; fearing how she'd react.  
"F-Fee, just remember: No matter _how_ tempting the giant flying monkeys look, you_ cannot_ fly."

Fee coughed, her eyes widening slightly. Her head turned in all directions; expression slightly confused. Matt held his breathe, preparing for the worst.

"This…_.is broken_!" she shouted in frustration. "Nothing is happening! It just tastes gross, and I'm a bit lightheaded," she complained. Matt let out a slight sigh of relief; happy she didn't have an extreme reaction.

"Well, maybe in a couple of hours, we can move on to the next item on the list."

Fee pouted, turning to stare out the car window. "Yeah….I guess…..I was just hoping that--- _HOLY CRAP IT'S PINK JESUS!_" she cried, falling into an uncontrollable giggling fit.

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The coffee house was, on the most part, empty; the only noises heard was the low roar of constant chatter from the customers and the whine of the coffee machine. The scene was uneventful, and not alluring to Fee…if it were not for the sign hung outside that sent her reeling with excitement.

"Fee, p-please, I don't want to!" Matt hissed, though Fee continued to push him towards one of the back rooms.  
"Too bad; you brought this upon yourself by saying we'd complete the entire list. I put 'Karaoke', so you're going to _sing_, damn it!"

After shoving Matt into the back room, she ran back to give her message to the man in charge of the songs. Taking a seat as close as possible to the front, Fee placed her feet up on the table; her grin gleaming evilly.

Ten minutes later, at the cue of the song "Single Ladies" by Beyonce flowing through the speakers, Matt strut out in a glimmering black leotard and heels; immediately silencing the entire coffee house with his presence.

Fee leaned back in her chair, feeling content and satisfied as she waited for, quite possibly, one of the most memorable shows in her life to begin.

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The evening of the second day arrived almost too quickly for Fee; the adrenaline of the past day and a half still coursing through her veins. She twirled inside the motel room she and Matt had rented out happily; her mind at work storing away priceless memories.

Matt, on the other hand, nearly fell on his face as he limped inside the room; his spirits and body worn out. Fee turned to look at him; hands on her hips.

"What's wrong with you?"

Matt leaned his entire weight against the wall; slipping slowly to the floor. "What's….wrong….with…._me?!_" he repeated in outrage. "I'll tell you what! You're fucking _insane!_"

"And you asked for it!" she argued, sauntering towards him with confidence. She bent down to his level; smirking deviously as he stared with narrowed eyes.

"You….You're crazy. You're not normal. You have the biggest, most sadistic little personality I've ever seen. You bring out the worst in the best, and the best in the worst, _just_ to mess with people. You never grow up, and you're the most illogical human being I've ever seen," he spat, taking off his goggles with a huff.

Fee tilted her head to the side, listening intently. Matt's eyes, originally narrowed and burning with scorn, softened. "You're a leech; you're a black hole. You draw people in, then tear them apart, as well as everything else around you," he said, this time more softly. His hands moved upward to cup her face, and with each insult, he drew her closer.

"You're so hateful, so cruel, and selfish. I can barely satisfy you, and when I do, it's at the cost of a little piece of myself…"

Fee's eye lids suddenly grew heavy; covering her eyes more and more the closer she got to Matt's face.

"You, Miss Fee the Magnificently Magnificent, are a rotten little misfit," he whispered. His lips finally captured hers; ravishing the moment for all it was worth until he desperately needed air. Once they had both moved apart, he breathed: "And I love you."

Fee opened her eyes cautiously; ashamed of the tears that rolled down her cheeks. The two of them stared endlessly, as though waiting for something to happen.

Taking the incentive, Matt used his foot to kick the door to the motel room closed; his eyes still locked on Fee's. Moving as gently as possible, he lifted her into his arms, bridal style, and carried her to his room.

The moment Matt put her down, the both of them silently made an agreement; a sort of wordless contract. Without uttering a single sound, Matt shut the door behind him.

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"Near is bringing this case to an end with his own hands…"

Mello listened in the darkness of the apartment to Agent Halle speak over the phone. The feeling of inferiority welled inside him at the news that Near had everything planned out; everything settled in his favor.

_He's always one step ahead, while I'm so desperate to just keep up…_

"By writing his name in the notebook…?" he questioned.  
"Yes."

The silence that followed was almost deafening. Mello's face was hidden by his hair as he sat, hunched in his chair with the crushed remains of his former confidence. He would have the recurring nightmare whenever he attempted to sleep; he'd see the monster's hideous form whenever he blinked.

_"Time is running out…"_

The weight of the world on Mello's shoulders was bone crushing; the guilt heart-wrenching; the hate in his soul a curse that chained him, and caused him to be forever "second best".  
Suddenly, an idea, so simple yet complex, made him believe that it would fix it all.

"…Then I guess I'm going to have to do it," he murmured before hanging up.

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The door to the apartment Matt shared with Mello and Fee was carefully rattled open as the said redhead let himself in; carrying a sleeping Fee in his arms.

"Honey, I'm home!"

There was no reply from within the apartment complex that was as dark as the evening sky. Matt frowned as he carefully set Fee down to sleep on the couch, setting off then to search for his blonde companion.

"Mels?" he called out again, wandering throughout the halls. Once he stood in front of the door to Mello's room, Matt hesitated, as though something held him back. Despite his instinct, he opened the door to find Mello, sitting on the edge of his bed; surrounded by empty bottles of wine and dozens of crumpled chocolate wrappers.

Icy blue eyes wandered upwards to meet with baby greens. "Matt…welcome back," Mello greeted. The redhead's stomach heaved at the smell of alcohol that simply radiated off of Mello.

"You're drunk," he stated, taking a step back into the hall. "Why?"

Mello gave a tiny lopsided smile. "Come; sit down, Matt. We need to have a talk."

* * *

"_We lived like a storm and let it ride, for all the times we felt alive. But, sometimes love just can't make you stay, when you're happy the hard way..." _-"Happy The Hard Way" by Every Avenue.

* * *

**A/N: LET ME TELL YOU IN ADVANCE: What happened between Fee and Matt I SHALL REMAIN SILENT ABOUT. Interpret it for yourself. **

**Mello: Well, looks like Fee is more of a bad influence than usual -.-**

**Fee: I REGRET NOTHINGGGG! *flies off into the distance***

**Me: ANYWAY, this chapter was certainly dripping with plot. A plot so thick not even Chuck Norris can swim through it.**

**Matt: I wear speedos when I swim...._ladies~_**

**Me: GTFO. **

**Mello: Well, speaking of the plot (amongst other things), it seems a few things were noticed:**

**icantseeyourstar: **you know, your story and your oc are great and everything but what im really impressed with is your taste in music..

i mean two door cinema club, mgmt and arcade fire?? thats pretty awesome dude! it seems like most people on this site only listin to stuff like breaking benjamin and metallica - not that theres anything wrong with those bands,, its just nice to see a bit of variety:)

keep up the good work:)

**Me: ........YESSSSSSSSSS! FINALLY! I have met someone with wonderful tastes! :DDD Thank you!**

**Sybil_Corvax: **oh! Mello! I luvs you still!! :D  
And so does someone else I know :P

Awesome story, and I'm loving Fee so much more with each chapter. Matt is completely and utterly insane, which is to be expected and Mello is still completely sexy.  
I never thought you were a girl, Mello ^_^

Oh, and just a small question...will Fee actually talk with Light? Or at least come face-to-face with him? I'd love to see those two have a conversation :P

**Me: OH, I HAVE MANY A PLAN FOR OUR TRIO *smirk* As the plot progresses, things will unfold that will most likely have Fee interact more with the Kira plot. BUT I WON'T GIVE ANYTHING AWAY.**

**Mello: YOU SEE? I may be 'depressive', but I'm still damn sexy.**

**Matt: Well, I'm too sexy for my shirt.**

**Me: I'm too sexy for my hat.**

**Matsuda: I'M TOO SEXY FOR MY BRAIN! :DDD That's why I don't use it!**

**Me: OH MATSU, you silly little braindead parakeet, you~  
**


	21. TwentyOne: Torn

**Me: *Angelic Choir sings 'Kumbaya'* PRAISE THE LAWD, I HAVE UPDATED (relatively) ON TIME!**

**Matt: *sways in praise to the Gods of Nintendo***

**Me: YES. Anyway, I had gotten MANY epic reviews about the last chapter. The winner? This review:**

**sakura1243: **Alright. So I was sitting there. Thinking again. And I thought two things.

1. We really should be worried about darling Mello. He has burnt pudding monsters appearing in his dreams. Yes, that thing was burnt pudding come to life. Don't question it.

2. Our brains' eyes are going to start bleeding from the beautiful and disturbing image you gave us of Matt singing Single Ladies. I'm (for some crazy reason) hoping he did the dance along with it.

I love you, and good night.

**Me: I died with laughter reading this. DIED. And Mello revived me ;D BUT SERIOUSLY, WILLY, WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN EATING TO HAVE SUCH FRIGHTENING DREAMS?**

**Mello: YOU. DON'T. FEED. US.**

**Me: *cough* YES I DO. And speaking of epic reviews, you see what happens when you think? Cool shit happens, man. You should try it more often....MATT.**

**Matt: NO, _YOU'RE _THE STUPID BANANA HEAD *pouts***

**Me: ....ANYWAY, on with awesome reviews:**

**escape-into-myself: **"Come; sit down, Matt. We need to have a talk." Oh Matt and Mello are going to talk about the 'birds and the bees' aren't they? Too late Mello :D

And when you said that we can think what we want about what happened in the bedroom, I thought that they went to make the bed. Way to spoil my innocence Misseh... Jk I'm pretty awful

And I still love you. It's our two chapter anniversary :)

**Me: OHOHOHOHOHHO MATT YOU FILTHY BOY. And I beg for forgiveness from anyone whose innocence I have destroyed *smirk* AND HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ALL MY REVIEWER WIVES/HUSBANDS~**

**Dear_Mimi: **I know what kind of screwed-up seven year old wants to try weed. One who has been sniffing Sharpies.

**Fee: .........I REGRET NOTHINGGGGGG (AGAIN) *is rescued by L swinging on a vine in a Batman costume***

**Matt: FEE, NO! THE ONLY MAN IN TIGHTS AND A LEOTARD THAT YOU CAN FROLIC AROUND WITH IS FREAKING ME!!!!**

**Me: MATT, YOU ARE NOT A SINGLE LADY.**

**Matt: ....W-WHAT?! *bursts into tears***

**Me: Lololol For those who understand what video reference I just made, you get a cookie C: ALSO, speaking of references: To kirabbit: YES, Matt's little dancing escapade WAS, in fact, a Glee reference to Kurt xD And to Amaya-Ai: THANK YOU SO FREAKING MUCH FOR YOUR SUPER LONG REVIEWS. They were not any trouble, and I enjoyed reading them :D**

**Mello: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. She does own the OC, Fee. *guzzles wine***

**Me: OH, RIGHT: In this chapter, please excuse Mello's incoherent drunk-speak. He's RETARDED *wacks Mello on the head*  
**

**

* * *

**

Twenty-One: Torn

**_He refused to believe it._**

"N-No," Matt stuttered, standing up slowly from where he sat beside a drunken Mello. "I can't. I won't. _You_ won't."

**_How could things change so quickly? How could he go from feeling on top of the world to feeling as though his entire chest was hallowed out viciously by the utterance of a few words?_**

Mello picked up one of the bottles nearest to the bed; swirling the contents left at the bottom. "Wake up early tuh-morrow, buhfur Fee does," he said, his words slurred. "Ya only job izztuh dis-s-stract those Neanderthals of bodyguards…," he murmured, trailing off.

Matt's eyes were wide and frantic; his mind searched for every possible reasoning behind Mello's plans, as well as another way out. When he found none, he resorted to the next best thing: blame.

"H-How…how could you even think of something like this?! Is….Is _death_ the best thing you could think of? _How the fuck does this help anyone?!_"

Matt's face became red with rage. The more and more he realized what taking this action meant, the more the pain inside him swelled. He clenched his fists as he leaned forward in a threatening stance; his expression dared Mello to give an answer.

Mello closed one eye, examining the bottle for any remaining wine. He took a long swig before setting it down, watching as it fell over and rolled across the dusty floor. His eyes remained locked on it as he opened his mouth to speak.

"This…what we're about tuh do…it's gonna help _everyone_. It'll finally end the whole case. Dun go thinkin' it's selfish… I'm doing this tuh bring down Kira; fuh those who live in constant fear; fuh the….the innocent. Fuh people like you, fuh people like Fee….fuh everyone."

Matt leaned back a bit, unclenching his fists. He ground his teeth together; the stress physically straining. Mello's bloodshot eyes slowly made their way up to meet with Matt's, showing the slightest bit of remorse; a silent apology.

"I dun care about dying; I ain't afraid," he hiccupped. "But I'm so sick of watching everything around me do so. I dun wanta be a failure anymore; I dun wanta be second best. I want to be a winner, one way or another."

Matt's eyebrows scrunched together. "You'll be doing more harm than good."

Mello cleared his throat, shaking his head. "I've got the chance….to prove I'm worth something; that I did somethin' that made an impact. Ya can bet your ass I'm gonna take it."

The blonde managed to stand on his own wobbly feet in order to meet Matt eye to eye. "Matt, you promised me a long time ago that you'd be there…when I needed you. I need you now."

All the raw anger etched on the redhead's face vanished for a split moment; his eyes softened with pity for his friend. His _friend_; one whom he swore he would proudly stand beside. Moral obligation and intense loyalty pushed him forward, but the regret in his heart held him back.

_A promise is a promise….sometimes, regardless the consequences. _

Time seemed to slow down as Matt reared his fist back, bringing it forward again to smash dead-on with Mello's face. The blonde collapsed onto the bed behind him, clutching his face in pain as blood dribbled down his chin. Matt's expression was stern as he glared him down; hatred tinting his eyes that once would always gleam with a certain hidden happiness.

"Fine. You've got your_ fucking_ promise and your _fuckin_g chance to play 'hero'. I hope you're happy."

Mello watched in a daze as Matt stormed out the room, slamming the door behind him.

It was set: The following morning, they were to kidnap Kiyomi Takada , with the knowledge they probably would not come back.

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Mello knew he was not the villain.

Even as sat on the edge of his bed, listening to the sounds of his friend sobbing outside Fee's door from just down the hallway, he knew he had not done anything wrong. He didn't _want_ death; never had he intended for there to be such sadness. All he wanted, all he ever _needed_, was to be worth something; to have all the pain, struggles, and efforts of his past have some meaning.

_If no one else will do it, then I have to. There's no turning back._

The blonde tilted his head back, closing his eyes to listen to the faint sounds of church bells in the distance.

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It was peaceful.

This was the first thing Fee could remember before anything else when Matt entered her room in the evening. Lost in her dreams, she felt absolutely nothing; for once in her life, she was numb to all the darkness, to all the bad that caused her pain. The movie screen just behind her eyelids replayed memories over and over, and, though the room itself was silent, she could hear beautiful music; a medley of violins and a piano in perfect harmony.

She was stirred by the creaking of her bed as Matt took a seat beside where she lay. He leaned over her, moving his hand to gently brush hair away from her eyes. Those same eyes fluttered open to stare at him, still half-lid.

"Matt?" she mumbled, stretching her arms towards the ceiling while yawning. "What's up?"

He forced a smile, though his eyes were sad as he continued to look down on her. His hand alighted on her cheek; treating her as though she were made of fragile, priceless porcelain, and marveling her appearance as though he'd seen her for the first time in years. Fee's eyebrows scrunched together, her previous peace shattered by the sense of wrong that Matt exuberated.

Slowly, she propped herself up on her elbows, never taking her eyes off him. "Matt, what is it?"

The redhead said nothing, but simply leaned in and captured her lips with his. Keeping his eyes closed, he brushed his lips against her cheek and buried his face in the nape of her neck. Fee squeaked slightly in surprise, her face turning a light shade of pink while she tried to keep her composure.

"M-Matt, please; tell me what's bugging you!" she insisted, softly pushing back on his shoulders to look him in the eyes. Once again, he forced a smile as he took her hand in his; toying with her fingers.

"When I was little, I always went unnoticed, no matter what I did. Even when I was acknowledged, it was always for being 'the quiet freak'", he said suddenly, staring down at Fee's hand in his. "Being 'different' was defined as bad because of this. But, never would I have imagined that kicking a bush one afternoon in autumn would change all that."

This time, Matt smiled genuinely, and he finally lifted his face. Fee blinked twice, her expression wavering between embarrassment and happiness.

"You were awkward yet perfect; fearless yet shameful; harsh and demanding, yet generous and gentle. I was fascinated at how….how you just _didn't give a shit_, and you made weird look so _damn_ good," he continued. "I loved you then, love you now, and will love you in the future because you just don't fit in with what's acceptable, and neither do I."

Fee grinned shyly, tilting her head to the side. "Doesn't that mean that, in a way, we _do_ fit in somewhere? Two people who are the same, even if they are misfits to everyone else, fit in with each other, stupid."

Matt's smile broadened as he gave off a little laugh. "I guess you're right."

This smile soon faded, however, and was replaced with a slight frown. Matt's gaze flickered downwards again to stare at Fee's hand, whose fingers were laced with his.

"B-But…the thing is, love makes you insane; particularly so with you. Love makes you want to give up everything for the other person's sake."

The sparks of happiness inside Fee's chest were replaced with gnawing worry as she reached out to grab Matt's face, pulling him to look at her. He couldn't make eye contact with her as his eyes welled with burning tears. Cerulean eyes went wide as she stared at him; searching so desperately for what was causing such pain so that she could fix it. She wanted to fix it…

"S-Sometimes…," he choked. "Sometimes people have to make sacrifices for the ones they love, even if it means giving up their life."

Matt's save-face had finally been broken as he practically dove to embrace Fee in his arms. She held him tightly as he shook slightly against her; quietly sobbing.

"…._Fuck, I'm so sorry_," he said against the fabric of her shirt. "_I'm_ the one who….who has to say 'Everything will be ok'. I….._damn it_, I'm scared; n-not of dying, but of leaving you. This p-plan Mello has tomorrow, to kidnap Takada….I don't….I don't _know_ anymore."

Fee didn't utter a sound as she wrapped her arms more protectively around Matt; her trembling fingers entangled in his ruby locks. She stared at the wall over his shoulder expressionlessly.

She wanted to fix it.

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Hair dye. Scissors. Bandage gauze. Contacts.

Fee stared herself in the cracked bathroom mirror, wiping at the dried tracks of her tears that marked her cheeks. She gave a hard stare at her reflection before glancing over her shoulder to look at Matt, who slept soundly on her bed; curled into a protective cocoon of blankets.

It was 4 a.m. when Fee shut the bathroom door and got to work, making sure not to wake anyone up.

_That's right, Matt. Sometimes people have to make sacrifices for the ones they love._

_Even if it means giving up their life. _

* * *

_"This crash is coming slowly, move or watch the slow death of your way of life. There's a science to fear; it plagues my mind and it keeps us right here..." -"_Science of Fear" by The Temper Trap.

* * *

**A/N: FFFFFFFFFFFFFTTTTT I AM KEEPING. MY. MOUTH. SHUT. ABOUT THIS CHAPTER.  
**

**Mello: FINALLY!**

**Me: *wacks Mello on the head again*HOWEVER, I will answer some frequently asked questions about the progressing plot: YES, you will eventually learn Fee's real name. No, I can't really say how long the fic will be right now, but it's certainly longer than Artificial was. Also, MAYBE (I WILL NOT SPOIL) Fee may meet more characters like Light. And eat him.**

**Matt: HALLELUJAH.**

**Me: SPEAKING OF GLORIOUS-NESS, I BEAR A MESSAGE FROM A GOOD FRIEND AND REVIEWER:**

**GiggleParade: **Missy's Blank Canvas is being turned into a feature film. Just kidding, that's next on the agenda in fifty years when we actually meet. But for now, there will be an AMV. Since this is not an anime, though, we are calling on the fans to send in every single piece of fanart, and if anyone is gangsta enough to do a cosplay video WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH. Video will be to the Fallen by Franz Ferdinand if that helps.

**Me: ISN'T. THAT. FRIGGIN--**

**Matsu: BOOTYLICIOUS.**

**Me: .....YEAH, SURE, BOOTYLICIOUS! So, PLEASE, send in whatever you've got to my email (which is on my FF profile) to make this work! :DDD**

**Matsu: *chirps*  
**


	22. TwentyTwo: Martyrs

**Me: OSFOSJOSK D:**

**Mello: Translation: This update is late.**

**Me: BUT, ONLY BECAUSE LAST WEEKEND I WENT TO AN AWESOME ANIME CONVENTION. Where, by the way, I got a free hug from an uber smexy MALE (ZOMGMALEFUCKYEAH) Matt cosplayer *o* Best hug of my life. That, plus me writing this story, is slowly making me convert to...dare I say it, MATTISM.**

**Matsu: *LE GASP***

**Mello: WHAT THE FUCK?**

**Me: I'M SORRY, IT'S JUST THAT THE LIKELIHOOD OF ME FINDING A MALE MELLO COSPLAYER IN REAL LIFE IS ONE IN OVER 9,000!**

**Mello: DOUBLE WHAT THE FUCK?!?**

**Matt: BITCHES DON'T KNOW 'BOUT MAH HUGGING SKIZZLEZ.**

**Me: ....Of course, Matt. BUUUUUTTTTT, whilst going over reviews, I found possibly the kindest and greatest review I've ever gotten in my life; so much so that I will even put it on my profile later:**

**No_Reality_Available: **Dear Misseh,

You are an admirable, remarkable, extraordinary writer and individual. Your writing melts my heart; something many have tried but never has succeeded. Coming from someone usually emotionless, it's quite a feat. But then again, I'm just a person. Matt, I can comprehend what you feel. I am also the 'quiet freak.' I've always been the 'quiet freak', only acknowledged as the 'quiet freak'. And it hurts. I enjoy reading this chronicole (too epic to be a story) not only because I adore Matt, but because it reminds me so much of my two best and only friends. I have a Mello; headstrong and fierce, stern and obstinate, always willing to go the road less travelled. Fee; colorful and spontaneous, passionate and defiant, gifted with the ability to bring out the worst and best in people. It always makes me wonder who I am in the mix. I always wake up hoping that one day I'll be able to create something as Magnificently Magnificent as Fee. Perhaps I'm taking this a tad to seriously, but since I've been reading all your stories since the beginning, I'd say I have a damn good reason. Best regards from a faithful reviewer. You're going places, kid.

~No Reality Available

(P.S., You can just call me Collen.)

**Me: *TEARS OF JOY THAT FLOWETH LIKE NIAGRA FALLS....ETH* That was the kindest thing I've ever gotten. EVER. The flattery is profound, and I'm simply honored.**

**Matt: I'LL SEE YOU IN THE BEDROOM, COLLEN~ *winks perversely***

**Me: THIS IS WHY YOU HAVE NO FRIENDS.**

**Dear_Mimi: **Question; If Blank Canvas was made into a live action film; who would you want to play Fee, Matt, and Mello?

Johnny Depp would undoubtly play L, but that's not the point. The point is you made me cry. I had to go hug my brother.O_o I, along with a few of my friends, have an idea what Fee's real name is, and hope to jump up and say 'Hah! I was right!' So we wait with bated breath.

-Mimi

**Me: WELL THEN, let's see....Mello would be played by---**

**Matt: Madonna.**

**Me: Matt would be played by---**

**Matt: George Clooney.**

**Me: And Fee would be played by....TO BE HONEST I DON'T KNOW. And I won't let Matt answer because he'll probably say someone within the range of Pamela Anderson and Shakira.**

**Matt: YOU READ MINDS. O.O**

**Mello: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. She does own the OC, Fee.**

**Me: THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH~! By the way, keep sending in fanart for the in-progress AMV~! TWIRLY THINGY FTW~!~!~!~!~!~!~!  
**

**_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
**

Twenty-Two: Martyrs

The sun seemed to struggle to peek over the horizon as light barely leaked through the shades and into the dark room. Too-big leather gloves were pulled over pale trembling fingers as Fee stood near the bed where Matt still slept soundly, looking over her disguise over and over. She stared absentmindedly at the rise and fall of his chest before slowly reaching into the pockets of her baggy jeans.

Quietly, she stepped forward to lean over him; cupping his limp hand in both of hers. She was practically mute as she slowly leaned forward to place a light kiss on his lips. Once she pulled away, she hovered over him for a moment; lost in her thoughts.

A weary smile graced her lips as she stood up straight and slowly walked out of the room, leaving a sharpie marker behind in Matt's hand.

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Two different shades of blue irises stared at the building in which Takada was to arrive at in silence. Mello shoved his fists into the pockets of his leather jacket, kicking at some cobblestones beneath his feet. His eyes flickered towards Fee nervously; unsure of whether or not to speak.

"Matt," he addressed, his voice unusually soft. Fee said nothing and hung her head, making sure remain incognito. Mello grunted in frustration, kicking once again at the ground.

"…Fine, Matt; don't talk, but at least listen," he murmured. "Once we get into action….once you get in that car, and once I get on that bike, we both know where we're headed, and we both know there's no turning back."

Mello shifted his stance to face Fee, his expression stern. "If we work this right though…you should make it out alive. My original plan doesn't include bringing you down with me."

Fee nearly choked on the very oxygen she breathed; her head snapped in Mello's direction, causing strands of dyed-red hair to whip in front of the goggles she wore. Mello frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Don't give me that look. I've already made up my mind, and there's nothing you can do about it now. Besides, you need to live. You and Fee….you've got something together that's worth more than anything in this Godforsaken world; I'll go to hell before I ruin that…." Mello took a moment to go over what he said and laughed slightly to himself; almost cynically. "Not that I'm not already," he added in a murmur.

Fee was rooted to the ground on which she stood; listening to Mello with her lips parted slightly while trying to conceal a strange slew of emotions; a mixture of shock, admiration, and horror. Mello glanced back towards the building, observing as a line of black cars filed into the parking lot and the crowd of Takada fans outside began to cheer.

"Looks like it's time," he mumbled. He held out his hand for Fee to shake it; all emotions drained from his face with the exception of pure determination. A smirk graced the lips of a devil with the blonde halo of an angel.

"Do me a favor, though, if you---no, _when_ you get back to Fee: ask her to remember me kindly; not as who I am, but who I was….as Willy, with the lack of a better term."

She thought she would cry; she could've sworn she would break down and throw everything she worked for away at that very second. Yet, she was fascinated as she felt some twisted form of reassurance; she had finally stopped giving a damn about herself, and realized why she was there in the first place.

She wanted to fix it. _Everything._

Confidently, she shook hands with Mello for what may or may not have been for the last time. In the manliest voice she could muster, she mumbled: "Don't act like everything is so final; you'll still be here the next morning if I have things my way."

Mello smirked. "Careful; Fee's rubbing off on you."

With that, Mello mounted on his motorcycle, and Fee got inside of Matt's precious speed-demon. With a roar from both their engines, they road off into the claws of the reaper with a devious smile on both their faces.

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It was a lot like a lioness stalking her prey. With her hands gripped firmly on the steering wheel, Fee watched and waited; waited for Takada to finally come out of that protective shield that was her limousine so that she could take action. Her eyes flickered to the smoke gun beside her in the passenger's seat, then back to the building. Her heart pound in her chest as the door to the limousine was opened by a chauffer, revealing Takada dressed in an elegant fur coat with the snotty attitude to match.

Immediately, Fee pressed hard on the gas pedal, causing the tires to scream as they spun on the pavement. Keeping one hand on the steering wheel as she drove, she simultaneously reached for the gun as she pulled into the parking lot where everyone was gathered. With the window rolled down, she quickly shot the gun at the floor, releasing a cloud of dark smoke that enveloped the entire scene.

_"It's a rebel!"_ Takada's bodyguards yelled, falling into a panic. "Protect Lady Takada!"

Fee found some sick satisfaction in their scrambling, and quickly took the opportunity to escape. With another scream in protest from the tires, she violently turned the car around and sped away.

_"Tch, he's getting away! After him!"_

The adrenaline coursing through her veins was riveting as she glanced at the rearview mirrors to see Takada mounting on Mello's bike. She smiled in satisfaction.

_We did it. We actually--_

A second glance back made her sick to the stomach as she saw an army of black cars right on her tail. She bit down on her bottom lip, her mind screaming in unison with the tires as she suddenly swerved into traffic.

_Fine. You want to play games, do you? Let's play; but, I'll warn you, it's by my rules._

_Rule number one when playing with Fee: Fee always wins._

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The moment Matt woke up, he wished he were dead.

He practically leapt out of bed in distress, staring at the alarm clock on the night table that read 12:30 P.M.; as though to will it to go back to 4 A.M. He yelled out Mello's name, but was only answered by the echo of his own voice in the empty apartment. Overwhelmed with a feeling of failure, he dropped to knees in defeat.

_Damn it! How the fuck did this happen?! But….But Mello wouldn't leave without me. He needs me if the plan is going to go the way he planned it to. Why would he--_

Something on the bed caught his eye, and he crawled towards it. Picking it up in trembling hands, he turned the sharpie marker he held repeatedly, staring with wide eyes at the tiny signature on the body of the tool; from none other than Miss Magnificently Magnificent herself.

Realization hit him like a freight train.

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With another sharp turn followed by a symphony of car horns from the surrounding traffic, Fee groaned as the black cars persistently continued to tail her. Her fingertips twitched as she began to loose feeling in them from gripping the steering wheel so hard. She pressed her foot down more and more on the gas pedal; the speedometer rose as she accelerated to alarming speeds…

Suddenly, she slammed down on the brakes as a barricade of cars ahead of her came into view. Her car spun out of control; turning a full 360 degrees before coming to a stop in the middle of a death trap. She breathed hard as she found herself surrounded.

Shit, they got ahead of me…How many bodyguards does one damn woman need anyway?

Fee paused to catch her breathe, resting her arms atop the steering wheel and staring nonchalantly outside as the bodyguards got out of their cars; guns raised high.

_Well, I guess this is what I prepared for--_

Fee's thoughts were interrupted by the vibration of her cell phone in her pocket. She pulled it out of her pocket slowly; staring painfully at the caller I.D. With a flip of the cell phone top, she answered it calmly.

"Hello, Matt."  
_"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"_ he screamed on the other line. _"Do you have any fucking idea what you're---"_

"I love you," she said, hanging up on him and tossing the phone to the floor of the car. Moving swiftly, she began to undress; removing her goggles, vest, and gloves. She sighed deeply before reaching for the handle of the car door and opening it; stepping outside confidently with her hands raised in the air.

The guns of the bodyguards all seemed to simultaneously _click_ in preparation to shoot. One bodyguard stepped forward, his expression furious.

"Do_ not _make any sudden movements! You, who is connected with the kidnapping of Lady Takada and crimes against Kira: state your name!"

The bodyguard felt confused as he was flashed a Cheshire-catlike grin.

"My name is Fee the Magnificently Magnificent," she said, loud and clear and with the world's biggest smile. "And it is a pleasure for you all to meet me."

* * *

"_Love of mine, someday you will die. But, I'll be close behind. I'll follow you into the dark..." -_"I Will Follow You Into the Dark" by Death Cab For Cutie.


	23. TwentyThree: Slow and Painful

**Me: OH LOOK, AN UPDATE THAT IS BOTH LATE AND EARLY. Late in comparison to last week, but EARLY because it's on a Friday. SING THE PRAISES~!**

**Matt: FELIZ NAVIDAD~**

**Me: I hope the wait wasn't THAT painful for anyone D: **

**paramore-danish: **Misseh, if you dont update this soon, I will...I will...

LOCK MYSELF IN THE MICROWAVE AND NEVER COME OUT AGAIN EVER. D:

you dont want to be responsible for that, do you? 0:

**Matt: NOOOOOO, NOT THE MICROWAVE! THAT IS WHERE I GET MY NOURISHMENT! I CANNOT EAT THE FANGIRLS!**

**Me: TOUGH MUFFINS. Also, OSFOSJOSK I'M SORRY! But you see, I built up SUSPENSE, did I not?**

**Mello: Sure you did.**

**Me: MELLO! Let me tell you something, dearest Anime husband: NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, I LOVE YOU AND YOUR LEATHERY BADASSNESS.**

**Mello: Okay, what did you do NOW? -.-**

**Matt: LOLOLOL YOU MEAN YOU DON'T---**

**Me: STFU, MATT. BESIDES, YOU'RE IN FOR A BEATING, MR.:**

**No_Reality_Available: **Matt, does Fee know you're talking like that? I will not hesitate to call her. I thought Mello was the womanizer.

Moving on; I find it weird, really, how many lines in this chapter my friends have said (and constantly say) before. It scares me, but makes me happy all the same to say that I have friends like Mello and Fee.

Also, my brother's a male Mello cosplayer. He pulls it off pretty well. Who knew leather could actual look good on a guy?

~No Reality Available

(P.S., No, Matt, I will NOT be seeing you in the bedroom. You'll be seeing Fee. With a spoon.)

**Fee: *holds spoon in hand***

**Matt: D:**

**Me: HAR DE HAR HAR!**

**Mello: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. She does, however, own Fee, the OC.  
**

* * *

Twenty-Three: Slow and Painful

Mello made it look _easy._

Everything, from the reckless endangerment of himself and others to the inhuman bravery in the face of death; Mello made it look like child's play.

As Matt sped down the freeway, driving a stolen motorcycle which he barely knew how to ride with a smoke gun in his holster, he wished that, if only for a moment, he could possess such qualities. He prayed to whatever God may have existed that by some miracle, he could be faster than the time that was racing against him.

As he rode towards the barricade of black cars in the distance, tears clouded his vision and fear left a bitter taste in his mouth.

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_"…I beg your pardon?"_

Fee put her hands down to place them on her hips, giving Takada's guard an incredulous look. "You heard me. I am Fee the Magnificently Magnificent, and your little party-circle here is kinda in the way of my escape route."

The guard gave a scowl, raising his gun higher in unison with the other agents. Fee's hands shot up in the air once more; she grimaced at the fact that her bluff wasn't working. Taking a deep breathe, she went over a speech in her head she had prepared for a time like this.

"Look; yes, it's true that I'm connected to your precious Takada's kidnapping. But, with that being true, it's also true that you'll need to ask me some very important questions. Therefore, I think it'd benefit the both of us if you didn't shoo--"

Guns were raised higher; aimed at her head and chest threateningly. Immediately, Fee shut up; squeezing her eyes closed in preparation for what was about to come.

_…..L….Mello….Matt….I'm sor--_

The roar of the motorcycle piercing through the silence as it zoomed into the barricade was as fierce as it was unexpected. Caught off guard, Takada's agents had no choice but to leap out of the motorcycle's way and watch with gaping mouths as it screeched to a halt in front of Fee. The rider pulled out a smoke gun and shot it at the floor, releasing a dark cloud that the agents were all too familiar with.

_"They're going to get away again! Shoot! Shoot!"_

Fee coughed amidst the suffocating smoke, her senses screaming in panic as she was practically blind. She heard the bullets_ zip_ right past her as the agents shot madly into the dark cloud. An arm lashed out and grabbed her wrist; she felt herself being roughly pulled onto the bike; her own arms instinctively wrapping around the person in front of her.

Between her coughing fits, she managed to speak. "M-Matt? I-Is that---"  
_"Shut up."_

The bike accelerated into motion as it sped out of the cloud, into traffic. Fee glanced behind her, observing as the agents continued to shoot at the ghost of an enemy hidden within the cloud. Turning back around, Fee buried her face into Matt's back, wetting his shirt with tears.

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Fee didn't know where they had stopped, having spent the entire ride pressing her face against Matt's back; she could only suppose it was miles away from the city; miles from home. Cautiously, she perked her head up, arms still wound around Matt's waist. Suddenly, she found herself carelessly pushed off the back of the bike and sprawled out on the floor. Her wide, cerulean eyes stared up at Matt in questioning.

The redhead didn't even bother to look at her; his eyes remained locked on the road, his hands gripping the handles of the bike as tightly as possible. Fee shifted to kneel, though she didn't dare to utter a word.

"….I should kill you _myself_," Matt hissed. "I should kill you, bring you back to life, and kill you a thousand times more for what you did. How could you even _think_ of doing this?"

His words were like daggers, aimed directly for Fee's heart. She found herself staring at the floor now; looking at Matt was too painful.

"Careless; that's _all_ you are. You and Mello, you're both so _fucking_ careless--"

"W-Willy," Fee breathed, stricken with realization and panic. She scrambled to her feet and leapt onto the back of the bike; time was of the essence.

"Matt, we have to go _now_. Willy, there might still be time to--"  
"To _what_? He didn't give a fuck about what would happen to us when he made up this plan in the first place. Why should we care what happens to him now?" he spat.

Fee dug her nails into his forearm, making him wince. "Don't you _dare_ say that; you don't what he intended, you don't _know_ the things I've been told," she warned. "Now, are you going to drive this, or do I have to do it myself?"

Matt glanced back at her , eyes narrowed. He took a deep breathe before looking forwards again.  
"Where to?"

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The tiny cross on the end of Mello's rosary was turned repeatedly in his hand; a symbol of a faith he barely lived up to. His very presence inside the church seemed blasphemous, but he stayed there anyway. Tilting his head back against the headrest of the driver's seat, Mello sighed; somewhat relieved he'd gotten this far.

Closing his eyes, he felt the most curious of feelings: _peace_. In his mind, he was back in Wammy's. Matt was buried in another one of his video games, though the almost antisocial redhead would always steal a glance at Fee, who bounced around the room joyously; splattering paint on the walls. A chocolate bar balanced between his lips, he looked outside at the sun that shone with unimaginable strength.

He was back in a time before this slow but painful descent to madness; before the sadness hit, before the sacrifices, before Kira warped his entire life for the worst.  
Trapped in his imagination, at that moment in the calm of the church, dare he say it….  
He felt _happy._

So, when he felt the wave of pain inside his chest, making him gasp for breathe, he didn't panic. He was Mello; he was _Mihael Keehl_, and Mihael Keehl was never scared.

His heart beat for the last time.

Just before his head hit the steering wheel, he managed a tiny smile.

It was January 26, 2010.

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It was a lie.

That could've been the only explanation for the smoke that rose threateningly out of the flaming church; all that Fee was seeing was a lie. There was no way it was real.

"_No_….." she whispered, shuffling forwards. "No…."

Matt seemed rooted to the spot where he stood. He was but a statue, watching the building and everything in it turn to ash with his lips parted slightly in awe.

"W…..Wil…..," Fee struggled to form words.

_"……Mello!" _

Fee collapsed, falling to her knees under the weight of tragedy. Shakily, she turned around to look at Matt, who trembled as he continued to stare at the church breathlessly.

"…M-Matt," she whispered. "P-Please…..Please take me home."

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Every step Fee took was painful, as though her feet were made of cement. Reluctantly, she stepped into the apartment; Matt trailing behind her. With the door closed behind them, their eyes met directly for the first time during the entire trip home.

Taking the incentive, Matt stepped towards her; his gaze smoldering. He traced the shape of her face with his eyes, taking everything in.

"Why?"

Fee looked away. "Don't ask me why I did it. I don't know."

"You _don't know_? Do you _ever_ have a good reason for doing _anything_?!"  
"I don't think this is the best time to be fucking interrogating me,_ Matt_, considering my situation right now."

Matt clenched his jaw, the anger in him boiling over. "_Your situation? What, you think that you're the only one who lost someone today?!_"

Fee's inward pain was shown outwardly as her face was contorted with sadness. Matt stepped closer to her, his stance threatening.

"Tell me, what the hell was going through that _thick_ skull of yours?"  
"Leave me alone, Matt."  
_"Tell me why!"_  
_"I don't know why!"_

Almost violently, Matt pushed her back against the wall, pressing his chest against hers as he held down both of her wrists. He could feel the frantic beating of her heart beside his own as he stared her down persistently.

_"Why, Fee?"_

At that moment, all the emotions Fee kept bottled up for the sake of keeping a save-face broke out, like water rushing out of floodgates.

_"B-Because….Because I love you!"_ she wailed in agony; ripping her wrists out of Matt's firm grasp so that she could beat her tiny fists against his chest. _"I love you! I love you! It….it hurts…."_

Once she ran out of energy, she sobbed into his chest as she clutched his shirt for dear life. Matt held her as tightly as she held onto him.

"I love you….and I loved Mello, and L, and _everyone_ that Kira took away from me….," she said, her voice cracking. She pulled away slightly to look up at Matt, her hands clenching the fabric of his shirt. Matt's heart dropped as he stared into her eyes; her dulled, dead-looking eyes that lost their mischievous glow.

When his lips crashed down upon hers, it was raw, careless, but definite in sending the message he wanted to send:  
_You still aren't alone._

"…Fee, please," he said, pulling back slightly. "Whatever you do, just please….don't lose sight of what's right in front of you….don't."

Two star-crossed lovers embraced each other once more; searching for some kind of warmth to thaw out the cold, hallowed-out feeling in their chests. Fee listened to Matt's heartbeat, while he listened to the sound of sirens in the far distance.

* * *

"_You can't tell me, my friend, that that wasn't worth dying for. Gave it all and received nothing, might as well let them take more..." -_"Degenerates" by Scary Kids Scaring Kids. _  
_

* * *

**A/N: IMSORRYIMSORRY! I apologize beforehand for ANY angst achieved from this. Also, to restate the obvious, yes, my decision is to go SLIGHTLY off the original DN plot, but not so much so that it didn't make sense. WILLY HAD TO GO, IT WAS NECESSARY! D:**

**Matt: *curls into a ball in the Emo Corner of the internet***

**Mello: .................WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?!!?**

**Me: NO, MELLO! Besides, it's not even over yet! You have to wait!**

**Mello: WHAT THE FUCKING FUCKITY FUCK??!?**

**Matt: Wait, now who shall replace Willy? After all, Fee needs someone to ridicule. **

**Near: Good evening.**

**Mello: ......................AW HELL NAW----  
**


	24. TwentyFour: Cope

**Me: Ok, I'm not even going to lie: This is by far the latest update EVER, but IT IS ACTUALLY NOT MY FAULT THIS TIME. My computer got a virus....again -.-**

**Matt: THE SHINY LAPTOP? D:**

**Me: YES, but it was fixed, so BEHOLD, I updated as soon as possible. I really, REALLY appreciate all my reviewers and their endless patience, and I now will be able to update more regularly. I apologize sincerely ^^' However, MATT WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED YOUR HACKING SKILLS?**

**Mello: What skills?**

**Matt: STFU I GOT DAH ILL SKILLZ IN HACKIN' AND SHIT, FO-SHIZZLE *gangster-ish hand motions***

**Me: -_____- MATT, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING GANGSTER-LICIOUS. Mello completely took that title, especially after last chapter's author's note:**

**I-love-red-head-ninjas: **MELLO! -Goes into emo corner of the WORLD, sobbing hysterically-  
You-You-YOU! MISSEH! YOU MADE ME CRY!  
Here is what I thought Mello was gonna say at the end note:  
Mello: AW HELL NAW! Bitch! HOLD MY EAR RINGS!

**C0mdLicAt3p: **omg...I've figured it out. Mello wears black leather so he can pretend his skin is black because...he's black...  
Mello: AW HELL TO THE NAW! I AIN'T NOT 'CAUSE A DAT!  
Everyone: -.-  
Matsuda: I like manilla cookies :D

**Me: LOLOLOL OH MELLO, YOU SO FUNNY~**

**Mello: SHUT UP I AM A CIVILIZED PERSON!**

**Me: YES, I'm so sorry! I forgot that little dutch girls must be treated with the utmost due respect! MATT, WHERE ARE YOUR MANNERS?**

**Matt: =3=**

**Me: OH, by the way, let me just say that the following review will also be archived in my "Epically Epic" reviews sections, because its memory has forever changed the way I see angsty moments in fanfics. Never again will I take them seriously:**

**sakura1243: **There's only one thing to do in a time like this. A time where reckless revenge goes ever more sour. A time when lovers hold each other in their arms, a cloud of what can only be described as doom hanging over their heads. A time when tears will fall and sobs will rack the shoulders slumped in defeat. One thing, and one thing only.

Nekked party time.

~ Love,

The Mood Killer

**Matt: .....*BOWS DOWN TO EPICNESS***

**Me: OH, AND THE SUPER-ULTRA-HAPPY-FUN-FACT-TIME FOR TODAY IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY TheEvilMuffinToaster!**

**TheEvilMuffinToaster: **WHY CAN I SEE FEE BREAKING INTO THE SPK HEADQUARTERS AND SAYING: "Hayy'all! Willy died so sheep's his new replacement! Lester! get me a sandwhich damnit!"

ANGSTANGSTANGST.  
If you stick someone in a microwave, they explode.

**Mello: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters, but she does own Fee, the OC. On another note....WAIT, WHY AM I STILL HERE IF I ALREADY DIED IN THE---**

**Me: HAPPY READING~!~!~! *forced smile*  
**

**

* * *

**

Twenty-Four: Cope

It was the third time that night Fee had woken up screaming.

It was the third, traumatizing time she had that same horrific nightmare play out before her:

_Fee was inside that all-too familiar church; trapped within the flaming inferno, but not alone. Mello stood in front of her in all his defiant glory; she stared wordlessly at the face of the blonde boy she grew up with._

_But it was his body--**his body**--that caused her own delicate frame to rack and rattle in terror. From the shoulders down, he was nothing but bones; a crisp, burnt skeleton being chewed on by the flames. Flesh melted by the heat dripped off of bone with a liquid-like consistency, swam its way to Fee, and pooled around her boots. Wide, cerulean eyes locked with ice-blue orbs as Mello mouthed a few chilling words to her._

_"Help me….."_

For the third time that evening, Fee jerked upright in her bed in a cold sweat. Her throat felt raw from unconscious screaming; her heart beat erratically.

Also, for the third time that night, Matt wrapped his arms around the blue-haired girl's waist, bidding her to lay back down. Placing a light kiss on her forehead, he held her tightly until she fell back asleep; keeping his own nightmares a secret.

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For the fifth time that week, Fee stared blankly at the computer screen in front of her. As though to taunt her, as it always did, the pop up window titled "PASSWORD" blinked "ACCESS TO FILES DENIED" repeatedly in bright red. She ran a hand through her blue locks; the dye had finally come out with time, leaving her hair with its original color. Sighing in frustration, she stared out a nearby window; the beauty of the day appearing bleak.

Matt pretended to be absorbed in one of his games in a corner, but in reality, his attention was focused solely on Fee. He observed her closely; amazed at the great difference between the almost calm looking Fee now and the girl he'd consoled last night; haunted by her own mind torturing her in her dreams.

"…Fee, it's been so long. You should take a break."  
"I've tried everything," she said in monotone, expressing her state of being emotionally drained. "Everything, from the simplest of passwords to the hardest. I doubt Willy would make this so impossibly difficult; it _has_ to be obvious, but I still don't see it!"

Matt rose to his feet, walking over to where Fee sat in front of Mello's computer. "What makes you think that hacking into his computer will do any good?"

Fee sighed deeply once more. "I want access to his research, Matt. I couldn't….I couldn't do anything to stop his….passing in the first place. If I can do anything, I want to continue what he dedicated his life to."

Matt became rigid; his eyes went wide with terror. "…You want to bring down _Kira?_ Are you out of your _mind?_! It….It's out of our hands now. We did what we could, and for once, we should leave this up to other people. What can we do that they can't?"

Fee clenched her teeth, narrowing her eyes. "What, we should just _give up_ now? And let Willy's sacrifices and all this suffering have been for _nothing_?"

With a tightening in his chest, Matt turned away; staring at the floor painfully.  
_It's no use…she's made up her mind, and she won't go back on it._

Slowly, his gaze made its way back up to gaze at Fee once more, whose cerulean orbs were locked on the computer screen. Underneath the determination etched all over her expression, Matt knew what lay underneath. He knew sadness had wrapped its fingers around her heart and was strangling it.

This time, it was _he_ who wanted to fix it.

"…..Will it make you happy?"

Fee's head snapped in his direction, her expression confused. _"What?"_  
"If we do this, will it make you happy?"

Fee stared at Matt blankly, her lips parted to speak, though no words came out. Her silence was enough of an answer; moving swiftly, he grabbed a chair and placed it beside Fee, cracking his knuckles in preparation.

"I'm going to need a few day's supplies of cigarettes and Mountain Dew…. Oh! And a bucket."

Fee rose from the chair she sat in, eyebrows raised. "I'm afraid to ask what the bucket is for."  
"You don't want to know, _trust me_."

Putting her slight disgust aside, Fee couldn't help but smile slightly.

_If we fall, we fall together_, Matt thought, smiling back.

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Tossing and turning, Fee writhed in the bed; entangled in the sheets as she felt trapped in that same nightmare. Finally, she broke free; jerking upright as her heart pounded against her ribcage. This time, however, there were no comforting arms that wrapped around her; no feeling of protection that lulled her back to sleep. Confused and in a panic, Fee looked around the room before hopping out of bed to search the dark apartment for Matt, her human safety blanket.

Tiptoeing through the hallways, wincing as the floorboards creaked, Fee wandered in search of the redhead until she saw one of the doors opened just enough that she saw light leaking through the crack. Peeking inside, her breathe caught in her throat at the sight of Matt; hunched over the computer, his face inches away from the screen, and his eyes wide as though he'd seen something that had scarred him for life.

"M-Matt?" she whispered, as though she were afraid her voice would startle him out of his fixed state. Shakily, he turned his head in her direction; his expression gradually softening into shame.

"I…..I tried _everything_," he stuttered. "I mean, it's my hacking skills against Mello's password, which I _know_ should be so obvious, but…..I just can't _get it_! Piece of shit computer!" he cried, smacking his palm down on the table. He pressed his fingers against his temples, overcome with stress.

Cautiously, Fee shuffled to stand beside him and bent down wordlessly to kiss him atop his head. He glanced up, eyes wide not with haunting frustrations, but with slight shock and embarrassment. When Fee tugged on his arm for him to stand, he obediently followed her lead; marching in a zombie-like motion towards the bed, where he collapsed with a groan.

"Sleep," she commanded, though in a soft tone. Within as little as a few moments, Matt's loud snoring echoed throughout the room as he curled into his familiar cocoon of blankets on the bed. Quietly, Fee turned around and tiptoed towards the computer; taking a seat in front of the object of her hatred.

Hours of fruitless efforts in finding the password passed, and Fee found herself spacing out; wandering into the depths of her mind and diving head first, though dangerously, into her memories.

_"Do me a favor, though: if you---no, when you get back to Fee…."_

Fee's pale fingers came to life; seemingly acting on their own as they traveled towards the keyboard to type something into that cursed password-protected window. The memory continued to play out vividly as she typed.

**_W…._**

_"Ask her to remember me kindly…."_

**_I…. _**

_"Not as who I am…."_

**_L…._**

_"But as who I was…" _

**_L…._**

_"As Willy, with the lack of a better term."_

_**Y.**_

Finally, the password was accepted. As numerous files popped up on the screen, a simple word document window was the first thing that caught the blue haired girl's eye. Clicking on it rapidly, she came to realize it was a message left for her by Mello himself:

_**Dear Fee,**_

_**Good luck.**_

_**--Mello.**_

_He knew_, she thought, clenching her hands into fists.

The short, almost pointless message left no set of instructions, no explanations, nor any apologies or sense of gratitude. Yet, it was enough to bring Fee to tears as she sobbed as quietly as she; her face buried in the palms of her hands.

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It was 9 A.M. the following morning when Matt finally (but just barely) stirred from his sleep; awoken by the sound of incessant squeaking of the floorboards in the room. Just as he sat upright to search for the culprit, Fee leapt out from her hiding spot behind the nearby window curtains and jumped onto the bed; attacking him unexpectedly from the side.

"S-Shit, Fee, what's gotten into you?" he choked; remaining stiff as Fee wrapped her arms around him and shut her eyes tightly. After a few moments of confusion, Matt finally understood what had happened, and relief washed over him as he hugged her back. Slowly, the blue-haired girl felt herself drifting off.

Fee finally slept soundly.

* * *

_"I've seen your flag on the marble arch, love is not a victory march. It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah..." _-"Hallelujah" by Rufus Wainwright.


	25. TwentyFive: Actions Are Louder

**Me: WELL HELLO THERE. LET ME SHARE WITH YOU ALL THE BEST EXAMPLE OF AWESOMENESS I'VE RECEIVED VIA MESSAGING FROM THIS SITE:**

**Kaharri: **MissehKeehl you are the most amazing Death Note Fanfiction author that was born and is a human being (At least I think you're human…you could be an alien for all I know..) so I swear on all things Matt-related I will kill you with a gun that fires poison-tipped rusty sporks if you will not update 'Blank Canvas'. Roar.  
And if you still refuse to update you will become B.B's fifth victim. (That's right, I can count! :D)  
Mello's a pimp! XD  
And to release a question I have been dying to ask. (It made my brain liquefy and dribbled out of my right ear. My Mum made me clean it up..;_;)  
THE QUESTION IS:  
Matt's real name = Mail Jeevas.  
Jeevas sounds like Jebus.  
Jebus= Jesus.  
MATT IS JESUS?  
-Rose

**Matt: MAY THE FORCE BE WITH ALL OF YOU.**

**Me: AND ALSO WITH YOU *cough* ANYWAY, I really do appreciate messaged like these, and I love how you went out of the way to do so. It helps remind me if an update is...well...*clears throat guiltily* late, and also gives me encouragement to continue. Thank you, Rose, as well as many MORE awesome reviewers:**

**I-love-red-head-ninjas: **Yeah, so there's an anime con coming to where I live in october...and I'm gonna cosplay as Fee! I am so addicted to this story, that this is one of the best ways I can think of to express my gratitude of your fan-fucking-tastic writing and character design. Seriously.

Sadly, I can only cosplay as Fee for one day, because on the last day I am going to dress up as Riku from Kingdom Hearts and I'm going to go around proposing to random Sora's, and maybe an Axel or two.

Anywho, you have a talent for making me cry, and for making me a TOTAL MELLO FANGIRL.

**Me: OMGWAFFLESMELLOPOPSICLES, THAT IS FREAKING AWESOME! I wonder how that'd look like, and beyond that, this is flattery and amazing-ness beyond words! :DDDD**

**Mello: How about we encourage more MALE Mello cosplayers? One Fee in the world is ENOUGH -.-**

**Me: Suck it up, Mello. EMBRACE YOUR FEMININITY. **

**Matt: *sings* OHHHH, I FEEL LIKE A WOMAN~~**

**Madeline_Cullen: **Holy. Shit. Monkeys.

Man that was so awesome! You need to write more! This has my eyes glued to the screen, wondering what you'll write next, what Fee and Matt will do, and what Mello has left for Fee to uncover~!

My interest in Death Note Fandom has been revived!

-Maddy

**Matt: OMFG THERE ARE SUCH THINGS AS HOLY SHIT MONKEYS? CBWAHCBDUBC CAN I HAVE ONE PLEASE?**

**Me and Mello: NO.**

**Matt: FUCK YOU GUYS IMMA GROW ONE THEN!**

**Me: YEAH OK YOU DO THAT. Anyway, I also want to thank kirabbit for her wonderful review/critique that really helps further develop my writing, and also thanks to Chocoholic_Jeevas for her SUPER AWESOME LONG REVIEW that is sadly too long to fit here D: But, I digress; thanks all around~!~!**

**Mello: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. She does, however, own the OC, Fee.**

**Matsuda: IF MATT CAN GET HOLY SHIT MONKEYS THEN I WANT A UNICORN.  
**

Twenty-Five: Actions Are Louder

_The pistol shook in the hands of the frail girl who had never even held a gun before. Hot tears ran down Fee's cheeks as her wild and widened eyes remained fixed on Near. _

_"T-Take it back!" she screeched, her voice echoing off the walls. "He wasn't just a pawn to be** used**!"_

_"I had nothing to do directly with Mello's actions," the albino replied in that same monotone that drove Fee insane. "It was his own careless choices that lead to this outcome; he shouldn't have let his emotions get in the way so stupidly. If anything, more good came out of his death than consequences to the investigation."_

_The fury within Fee finally caused her to go berserk as she growled in an animalistic manner; her teeth biting her lower lip as she prepared the gun to fire in a swift motion. Reflexively, everyone else in the room leapt into action; each to protect the individual involved in the confrontation they felt was more important._

_"Near, look out!" Halle and multiple SPK members shouted simultaneously, raising their own guns. At the sight of this, adrenaline shot through Matt's veins as he sprinted towards Fee._

_"Fee, no!" _

**_Bang._**

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24 Hours Earlier:

The sound of Fee's footsteps echoed throughout the small apartment complex as she walked towards the entrance door; turning around a final time to stand and take in the sight of it once more. Everything she and Matt owned, and everything that had furnished the apartment before (with the exception of the couch on the ceiling, which, to Matt's great frustration, was unable to be removed) was gone. The run-down place she, Matt, and Mello had once called home was now empty; leaving barely any evidence that would be a sign they were even there.

Matt emerged from the opposite end of the hallway and moved to stand beside Fee. He took one last look around with her before turning to gaze at her with an affectionate smile.

"Are you sad we have to leave?"

Fee shook her head. "Leaving is sad; moving on isn't."

Matt's smile grew into a grin as he took her hand in his. "Won't you feel bad about abandoning the place? Also, no offence, but you're very territorial, and I wouldn't think you'd take someone suddenly moving into this place very well."

Fee smirked. "I don't mind, since we're going in order to continue Willy's work. Besides, the first thing we have to do is get Near's assistance, since, according to the files Willy left behind, he's the only other person actively pursuing Kira. We can't move ahead if we stay in one place all the time."

Matt squeezed her hand tightly, using his free hand to open the front door. "Alright, if you say so."

The duo stepped out of the door for a final time and jumped head first into the cruel world they were battling against, hands held firm.

"….Oh, and I forgot to mention: Since I 'accidentally' painted a portrait of you naked on the bathroom wall, I don't think anyone will want to be living there any time soon."  
Matt groaned, rolling his eyes. "At least they have something nice to look at while they pee."

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Fee and Matt stood across the street from a large, ominous building right at the lively center of New York City; in the middle of all the action. Matt quirked a brow; skeptical that a building right in plain sight could possibly be the great S.P.K., or Special Provisions for Kira.

"Fee, are you positive?"  
"_Never_ doubt the Magnificently Magnificent Fee," she warned, holding up a finger to his lips for silence. "This is where Mello had written Near was stationed; plus, he'd come here before."  
"Well, if Mello's gotten in with no problem, then what are we waiting for?" Matt said incredulously, taking a long stride towards the building. Quickly, Fee grabbed his arm and almost violently tugged him back.

"Are you _stupid_? We can't just _waltz_ in there and expect them to receive us with open arms!"

Matt pouted in disappointment. "Why not?"  
"For one, they could be hoarding weapons of mass destruction just for us in there, for all we know; we have to get in there with assertion and an upper hand."  
"Can't we ask nicely?"

Fee narrowed her eyes to slits. "Yes, Matt, let's walk in and ask them nicely if we can borrow classified information to use in order to seek vengeance on the world's greatest mass murderer. _And_, while we're at it, why don't we bake them a cake?" Fee cried sarcastically.

"Ok, fine, I get your point. Well, how did Mello get in the first time?"

Fee put a finger to her chin in thought. "If I were Mello, I'd definitely bring a hostage. They can't hurt us so long as one of their own is in danger."

"And where do you propose we get a hostage?"

Fee huffed impatiently, scanning the perimeter for anyone she recognized from Mello's files as a member of the SPK. Finally, out of her peripheral vision, she recognized someone from one of the files: A young man with dark hair and striking pale blue eyes, sitting on a bench with a cup of steaming coffee.

_I know him…he's….Gevanni, I think…_

"Let's go, Matt. I've got an idea," she whispered, sprinting across the street. Matt struggled to keep up, his mind spinning from all that was happening at once.

"W-Wait, Fee, what are you going to do?"  
"Well, you're going to pretend to be a girl and flirt with him, while I sneak up from behind him and threaten him with your gun. He'll be outnumbered and vulnerable, leaving him no choice but to lead us inside!"

Matt's expression mirrored that of Mello's face of utter disgust. "Why do I have to dress in drag to flirt with him?"  
"Oh, so you'd rather have _me_ go around seducing random men? Besides, you've got more of a figure than _I_ do."

"This is _not_ going to go well," Matt groaned as Fee tugged him hurriedly towards the nearest bathroom.

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Gevanni wondered if something was slipped into his coffee as he found himself being lead by gunpoint into the SPK by a small woman with blue hair and a surprisingly well-figured man in a skirt.

"Remember what I told you; I don't want to have to hurt you," Fee warned him, pressing the gun (though hesitantly) more into his back.

Gevanni swallowed nervously, reluctantly nodding as he pushed open the double doors at the end of the hall. Once inside the room, Fee was automatically confronted by four more SPK members aiming their guns right at her head. In the center of the room sat what appeared to be a small, pale boy surrounded by toys and wearing the most un-amused expressions Fee had ever seen.

"...'Sup," she greeted.

"Put your guns away; she's of no real threat," the albino commanded to his team flatly. His dark, listless orbs slowly made their way up to stare into Fee's; intimidation seemed to overpower her.

"Well, well, look what the cat dragged in," he smirked. "I know why you're here, but such violent mannerisms are so unnecessary. Please, release Gevanni so that we may be able to speak as civilized human beings."

Fee hesitated for a moment, contemplating how much she could trust him. Eventually, she tucked the pistol away underneath her shirt, leaving Gevanni to scamper off to the other end of the room.

"That's much better," the pale boy murmured, looking back and forth between Fee and Matt. His eyes remained locked on Matt; expression stern but still as cold as before.

"Mail Jeevas: Famous criminal hacker and one of Mello's underlings, as well as an antisocial recluse with an addiction to both games and nicotine. You're responsible for the grand theft of almost 800,000 American dollars, and the involvement of Kiyomi Takada's kidnapping," he rattled off from memory. Fee whipped around to give Matt a look of shock.

"Matt…you never told me your real name," she said quietly. "Or exactly how much hacking you've done."  
"I-I didn't mean to-"

"As for _you_, your supposed 'name', or alias, is 'Fee'," Near continued, now addressing the blue haired girl.  
"By definition, you should be criminally insane, though at times you are more innovative than mentally unstable. Apparently, you have a great gift in the arts, and a strange way of expressing this. However, what is so very interesting about you is that I actually _couldn't_ find out any more about you than this," he pondered. "In fact, by the lack of files, technically, you don't even _exist_."

Fee narrowed her eyes, ignoring the stare Matt gave her from where he stood behind her. "You've done your research, I see….," she murmured. Near smirked ever so slightly in triumph; satisfied with having out-smarted her.

"_Near, or Nate Rivers_," Fee said suddenly. "Two years younger than Matt, Willy, and I, yet more successful, seeing as you were first in Wammy's House, the institution we all attended a few years back. You're technically the real successor to L, adding to being the head of the SPK and most likely Toys R Us's best customer," she boasted, alighting her hands on her hips.

Silence was all that was heard in the room, and even Near was stirred by how much she knew.

"Yes, I've done my fair share of research too," she said, taking a step forward. "Seeing as we're already here, with all that we know, it'd be to risky to just let us go, don't you think? You have no choice but to let us join the investigation."

Members of the SPK gave each other concerned looks as Near didn't give an answer. After a few moments, just as Fee was ready to bask in glorious victory, the sound of clapping echoed throughout the room from none other than the pale boy himself.

"Well played; you're smarter than you look," he said while clapping. "…Or, perhaps I should say you're more manipulative than you appear. I suppose that's what happens when you stick around Mello too long; your own values are warped until you become a ticking time bomb, just like he was."

_"Shut your mouth,"_ Fee hissed almost immediately.

"Actually, no, I won't. In fact, it's _you_ who should be listening. I suggest you get yourself out of this Kira business while you're able to; besides, I can't afford to bring someone into the investigation whose only interests involve carrying out their own personal vendetta. You'll end up just like Mello, the way you're going."

Fee clenched her fists in anger; biting her lower lip in an attempt to hold back insults. Matt watched quietly as Fee tensed with every word that came out of Near's mouth; unsure if he should act or not.

"Well, I suppose that it was the very overly-emotional qualities Mello possessed that made _him_ so easy to be manipulated himself. If you're in any way the same, you could be of some use to me as well."

Finally, Fee snapped. In one fluid motion, she reached to where her gun was hidden and yanked it out, pointing it viciously at Near; aimed high with fatal intentions.

The pistol shook in the hands of the frail girl who had never even held a gun before. Hot tears ran down Fee's cheeks as her wild and widened eyes remained fixed on Near.

_"T-Take it back!"_ she screeched, her voice echoing off the walls. _"He wasn't just a pawn to be **used**!"_

"I had nothing to do directly with Mello's actions," the albino replied in that same monotone that drove Fee insane. "It was his own careless choices that lead to this outcome; he shouldn't have let his emotions get in the way so stupidly. If anything, more good came out of his death than consequences to the investigation."

The fury within Fee finally caused her to go berserk as she growled in an animalistic manner; her teeth biting her lower lip as she prepared the gun to fire in a swift motion. Reflexively, everyone else in the room leapt into action; each to protect the individual involved in the confrontation they felt was more important.

"Near, look out!" Halle and multiple SPK members shouted simultaneously, raising their own guns. At the sight of this, adrenaline shot through Matt's veins as he sprinted towards Fee.

_"Fee, no!" _

**_Bang._**

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A small, smoking hole in the floor just inches away from where Near sat was the only remnant of Fee's outburst. SPK members stood motionlessly in a circle surrounding the albino, creating a protective barricade. Matt stood behind Fee, gripping the wrist of hers that held the gun firmly in the air. He stared with wide eyes at the hole in the floor, as though a childlike conception of what Fee was capable of had been shattered.

Eventually, after a few moments of stillness in which neither party involved dared to move, Near motioned from within the barricade for the SPK members to step aside. Once again, those dull, listless orbs glared upward to gaze at Fee, who wore a mask of utter indifference.

It was wordless, and in fact, if one was not paying close attention, it could have easily been missed; yet, at that moment, Near gave a curt nod, and a contract was made.

Gently, Fee wriggled out of Matt's grasp; giving him a look of reassurance while keeping her composure rock solid. She turned back around to stare down at Near, giving her signature smile.

"It's a pleasure doing business with you…_Snowflake._"

* * *

"_We're not living the good life unless we're fighting the good fight; you and me just trying to get it right. In the center of the first world, it's laid out for us, who are we to break down?" -_"You, Me, and the Bourgeoisie" by The Submarines.


	26. TwentySix: Simplicity

**Me: You all want to kill me by now, don't you?**

**Reviewers: *PITCHFORKS ARMED***

**Me: OK OK LOOK, I realize this is beyond late, but I JUST FINISHED ALL MY FINALS, REGENTS, AND PRETTY MUCH SCHOOL, OK? So now ALL my time may be devoted to writing...and Mello ;D**

**Mello: *points gun at head***

**Me: STOP IT. You haven't got brains to spare, seeing as you got your self killed, you dumbass -_-**

**Mello: SHUT UP. You're the one with no brains, seeing that you probably uploaded this so late that no one reads (or cares) about this anymore.**

**Me: ...*BURSTS INTO TEARS***

**Matt: NO NO NO, STOP WITH THE CRYING. LOOK! REVIEWS STOMPING ON MELLO'S MASCULINITY SHOULD MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER:**

**TheEvilMuffinToaster: **YEAH. WHUT. KICK SOME SHEEP ASS, FEE. YOU DA' MAN.

Of course, Fee is the man in this relationship and wears the pants, but Matt at least has fashion sense.

YES, MATT THERE ARE SUCH THINGS AS HOLY SHIT MONKEYS. BUT YOU HAVE TO SMOKE A WONDERFUL THING CALLED A 'BLUNT' TO SEE THEM.

It's hero time, bby. Fee is going to kick some Yagami-ass :D

AND R.I.P. TO MELLO (again). YOU ARE FOREVER IN MY HEART LITTLE DUTCH GIRL.

**Mello: BWAHAHAHAHA, Matt, I think you got things switched. This, with 90% of the rest of the reviews, stomp on YOUR masculinity, Mr. Cross-Dresser.**

**Matt: W-Well, AT LEAST I LOOK SEXY IN A SKIRT. AND NOT TO MENTION SKIRTS = NO PANTS, AND NO PANTS IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING.**

**Mello: But-**

**Matt: FUCKING. ALWAYS.**

**Me: NO PANTS PAR-TAY *techno music* Oh, but before we hip-thrust our way into oblivion: **

**behindthemusic: **Snowflake? Woah Fee! I didn't know you were a racist. Tsk Tsk. How would Morgan Freeman react?

**Me: MATT. EXPLAIN YOUR GIRLFRIEND'S ACTIONS.**

**Matt: N-NO! FEE IS NOT RACIST! I MEAN, SHE'S FRIENDS WITH PEOPLE OF SO MANY RACES! L IS LIKE JAPANESE, MELLO IS A LITTLE DUTCH GIRL, AND I'M BLACK, YO! GANG$TER CRED!**

**Me: ...**

**Mello: ...**

**Near: Misseh does not own Death Note or its characters. She does own, however, Fee, the OC, pants-less or not. Any complaints towards Matt's rude and offensive comments should be taken out DIRECTLY on him, and pitchforks as well as torches are encouraged.  
**

* * *

Twenty-Six: Simplicity

"This is absolute _bullshit_."

A silver tray of coffee and donuts was thrown to the floor as emphasis of Fee's frustration. Near glanced at the mess with indifference from where he sat on his swivel chair. "You're going to clean that up, I hope?"

"_Of course not!_" she cried, throwing her arms in the air exasperatedly. "I thought that the whole point was for us to work _together_, where I could actually_ help_ in the investigation; however, for the past two weeks I've been doing nothing but house work. I did _not_ sign up to be a maid, for fuck's sake!"

"I never said you'd help with the actual_ investigation_. I said you could help, and if doing small chores is what you must do, then so be it."  
"You're a slave driver."  
"Insults are unnecessary."  
"_You're_ unnecessary."  
"Your retaliations are weak and irrelevant."  
"_Your mother_ is weak and irrel-"

"Fee, cut it out," Matt interrupted, walking into the conference room with a broom in hand. He gave her a warning look before bending to clean up the mess.

"Now, why can't you be more like him? Sometimes obedience is a positive quality."

Fee folded her arms across her chest in a huff. "Matt's only cleaning it because he's used to being everyone's bitch. _I,_ on the other hand, refuse to listen to a tiny little man in pajamas who resembles a snowflake; hence the name I chose for you, my dear Snowflake," she addressed him, her explanation verging on nonsense.

Near rolled his eyes, turning in his swivel chair so that his back faced Fee and Matt. "….Fine then. If it may put an end to your _horrendously annoying _whining, I will allow you to help in the case in _one_ aspect of your choosing. Mind you, only _once_. I've been fine without any help before, and the case can certainly progress just fine without your 'help'."

Fee's eyes narrowed to slits. If looks could kill, at that moment, Near would be horribly disfigured corpse. "Thank you _SO_ much, oh generous fairy godfather," she spat sarcastically, her words almost acidic.

With the flick of her wrist, she grabbed Matt's shirt collar and tugged him with her as she stormed out of the room.

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"You know, there is_ nothing_ I want to do more than to upload sheep porn onto that huge computer of his," Fee seethed, concocting a diabolical plan. "I mean, just the prospect of him becoming so disturbed by the image of a living thing similar to himself having interspecies sex makes me sickeningly _happy._"

Matt lolled his head to the side, finding himself staring at the back of Fee's head. They both lay lazily on a bed that they were forced to share due to the lack of living space for extra guests in the SPK, despite its huge size; not that Matt minded.

He didn't mind having time to listen to constant ranting as they both lived in a room down the hall originally meant for storage. He also didn't mind such a closeness between them that wasn't felt since they were both thrown into the mess that was the operation to bring down Kira. He wanted to be _wanted;_ to be there when Fee would break down.

Matt missed being depended upon.

However, he was presented with a state of drifting in which Fee's focus was shifted towards vengeance.

"….Can we, you know, talk about that tomorrow?" he said quietly. Fee shifted to glance over her shoulder, her expression puzzled. "Why? Is sheep porn too touchy of a subject for you?"

Matt scoffed, yanking his goggles off his eyes and throwing them randomly at a corner. "No, you dumbass, it's not that. It's just…everything you do nowadays is to burrow yourself further into the investigation….and away from me."

At this point, Fee had rolled all the way around to face Matt. "_What?_ Matt, you're not going anywhere, and everything I do is to ensure that."

"I know, but….remember I told you when we first went into this on our own, 'Don't lose sight of what's right in front of you'? I just feel like I can't remember the last time we did something that didn't revolve around the Kira case and Mello…"

Fee fell silent, her eyes darting around the room as she found herself at a loss for words. Slowly, Matt turned so that his back faced her, noticing that eye contact became too difficult.

"….Do you ever think about what's going to happen once this mess is all over?" he asked shyly.  
"Do _you_?" she replied back.

"All the time," he said, quickly regretting his immediate and almost desperate-sounding answer. Fee felt a tightening of her chest as pangs of guilt made it difficult to breathe.

"….Listen up," she said suddenly after a few moments of silence. "Once all this is over, I'm going to rob Near, buy a big-ass house, and paint the interior and exterior myself. I'll get you enough video games to last you a _lifetime_, and enough cigarettes to keep the edge off, as much as I hate them. We'll get away from everything, and live somewhere secluded, like….the desert, or something. It's a promise," she said with determination, wrapping her arms around him.

"I think you'd make a _wonderful_ housewife, Matt. We just need to get through this first."

Matt couldn't help but smile. "Alright, alright, enough with the sappy speech. Where do I get started?"  
Fee frowned in confusion. "Get started with what?"  
"Hacking a certain Snowflake's computer, of course."

Leaping out of bed, Fee sprinted excitedly into the hallway, with Matt trailing behind.

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Fee and Matt pressed their bodies against the wall as much as they could, taking refuge in the dark hall while Near and the rest of the SPK conversed in the main room. Fee's nose scrunched up in distaste, finding that carrying out her plan would not be as easy as she thought.

"We need a distraction," she whispered to Matt, inching towards the common room. As an idea was born in her mind, she shoved Matt into the nearest hallway broom closet and shut the door quietly, moving as efficiently as possible. "Wait here until you hear me leave!" she said before jumping out in the open in the main room.

All eyes were on Fee as she stood there awkwardly, having interrupted Near and the SPK's classified conference. Near's eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Fee, would you ever-so-kindly return back into the abyss from which you came? Permanently would be nice, but seeing as that is not going to happen-"

Suddenly, Fee fumbled with the front of her shorts and allowed them to drop to her ankles. Near was immediately silenced by Fee's state of being pants-less, and the remainder of the SPK couldn't help but watch in anticipation for what she could do next.

The blue-haired girl let out a war cry before charging towards Near, her arms outstretched. Too shocked to react protectively, the SPK members dodged out of her way and froze as she pushed a horrified Near in his chair with wheels out of the room. After taking a few moments to determine what exactly just happened, the SPK members burst into action and chased after the crazed girl, leaving a hidden Matt to him lonesome in the room.

Cautiously, Matt tiptoed out of the closet once the coast was clear and ran towards the master computer. His dexterous abilities were put to the test as he typed furiously on the keyboard.

"Damn it….Near's practically got an army protecting this computer, with all the software in it," he grumbled as even some of his most advanced hacking codes were turned down.

More than ten minutes passed, and just as Matt was prepared to give up, the entire screen went back. His greatest fear was that he had accidentally cleared the entire system, but he was proven wrong as seconds later, a flood of information hit the screen; popping up in windows left and right. His eyes darted from pop-up to pop-up, singling out the most useful information and memorizing it to the best of his ability. A particular pop up stood out, and his eyes widened as he read what appeared to be a date set aside in a planner.

_Daikoku Warf….The Yellow Box….On the 28th at 1 p.m.? What the hell is this? Near couldn't possibly be meeting-_

Matt's train of thought was interrupted as the sound of a stampede close by sent him into a panic. Working furiously, he closed every window and reset each firewall back to the way it was.

Just before he shut down the entire system, Matt decided to leave Near a little….present.

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Fee let out a pained groan as she slammed her body into the door that lead to the main room, sending it flying open. Stumbling, she trotted inside and hid herself childishly behind a wide-eyed Matt, who attempted to make it seem like he was always in the room.

Near, followed by his subordinates, who wheeled him around in his chair, soon followed suit through the doorway; gasping for air from having chased Fee all around the building. The albino's dark orbs scanned Matt and Fee's expressions, which had guilt all over them.

"Would you two _pests_ mind telling me just what is going on here?"

"Well, _obviously_ I decided to spontaneously run a marathon with all of you, since we're getting along so well, and Matt teleported into the main room and provided as a marksman to decide the winner. I won, of course, as I always do," Fee boasted, attempting to make her stretched truth sound as natural and plausible as possible (though failing in doing so).

Near scowled ever so slightly, his patience wearing thin. Matt cleared his throat and puffed out his chest, attempting to inflate his masculinity.

"Um, Near? I r-recall that you had originally promised Fee one chance to become involved in the case….so, with that deal, I assume, still in play, Fee knows what she wants to do, and she'd like for me to tell you."

Fee's expression rapidly became bewildered, her eyebrows furrowing together as she stared at Matt expectantly. "I _did_? I _do_? Wait, _since when_?"

Her questions were answered by Matt elbowing her in the stomach for silence. Clearing his throat again, Matt glared Near down with determination.

"On the 28th, at the Yellow Box, you…..you're finally going to confront Kira, aren't you?"

Fee felt her heart drop to her feet; all the blood drained from her face. Matt reached behind him and took her shaking hand in his, squeezing it for assurance.

"When the meeting happens, and when Kira is finally taken down, we want to be there."

Near sat absolutely still in response, weighing the possible consequences. "….I couldn't possibly allow you two to be there. You could jeopardize the entire-"

"You _promised,_" Fee spat, stepping out from behind Matt. "Don't you dare go back on your word."

Near's eyes flickered between Fee and Matt before he sighed heavily. "….I'm not one to go back on my word. You….may attend, but _only_ as spectators."

Fee couldn't help but smirk in triumph. She looked up at Matt with complete admiration, her smile broadening as she excitedly leapt onto him for a piggy-back ride. He shuffled forward before laughing to himself and carrying her out of the room.

Near sighed once again, almost in grief, as he watched the two exit with his dignity with them. He slowly turned his head in the direction of the master computer, eyes narrowing.

"….Gevanni, please turn on the computer."

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Matt and Fee sat frozen on the bed with their ears pressed against the wall expectantly.

"Matt, what exactly are we supposed to-"  
"_Shhh_, just listen!" he said, pressing more into the wall.

Minutes later, an explosion of sound could be heard through the wall from the other room: shouts and screams of horror and agony, the thumping of bass from speakers, and the whine of sheep.

Fee's eyes widened to new lengths as an almost sinister smile spread across her face. Falling backwards on the bed, she was thrown into an uncontrollable giggling fit. Matt grinned, throwing himself down beside her and wrapping his arms around her as to pull her close.

As Matt placed his chin comfortably atop Fee's head and drifted off to sleep, he wished for longer nights and simpler days.  
As Fee molded herself to fit in with Matt's body shape almost perfectly, she hoped for the end of a dark past that leaked into the present and looked forward to moments like these ahead of time.

As Near hid himself behind his tower of cards, covering his ears as his subordinates desperately attempted to stop the multitude of videos from playing on the screen, he knew that he would never again look at sheep with quite the same kindness.

* * *

"_It's been a while, so I'll just beg, borrow, and steal all your time, we'll call it dignified. Well, now it all seems to be cut and dry, so I know which way to run. You're tired, my love, I feel the same..." -_"Percussion Gun" by White Rabbits._  
_


	27. TwentySeven: Enter Fee

**Me: Um...**

**Readers: 8(**

**Me: U-UM... O.O' LOOK I WAS ON VACATION, OK? TWO WEEKS AWAY FROM MY COMPUTER, AND THEN I DECIDED TO GO ALL OUT AND WRITE THIS LONG-ASS CHAPTER, WHICH TOOK ANOTHER WEEK AND THEN SOME, BECAUSE I NEED SLEEP TOO.**

**Matt: DO YOU FUCKING REALIZE I HAVEN'T GOTTEN LAID BY ANY FANGIRLS IN LIKE FOUR WEEKS. DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW SORE MY WIENER IS?**

**Me: WHY DO I WANT TO KNOW?**

**Mello: You should've stayed there longer, it was like a euphoric Mello-Utopia here without you. BUT OF COURSE, YOU COME BACK JUST WHEN I'M HAPPY.**

**Matt: BUT MY WIENERRRRRRR-**

**Me: SHUT THE FUCK UP, BOTH OF YOU. I FREAKING PUT EVERYONE THROUGH WITHDRAWAL AND NOW EVERYONE IS PROBABLY SO PISSED THEY DON'T READ THIS ANYMORE. AND I SPENT SO FREAKING LONG TO GET THIS CHAPTER RIGHT. **

**Matt: Hold up...is that...HOLY SHIT FEE HAS A REAL NAME.**

**Me: ...Yeah. Go ahead. Why not just SPOIL EVERYTHING. =_=**

**Matt: N-NO, think of it as a lure for people to CONTINUE :D NOW HOW ABOUT SOME AWESOME-REVIEWS FROM CHAPTER 26 TO MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER:**

**sakura1243: **...Now we know where the Near-sheep came from.

**Mello: W-Wait...Does that mean Near took a tip from the videos and went out and...lolololOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL-**

**DarkMarionette182: **i just had one question, how did matt find those videos that fast? did he alredy know where they were? and if so...WHY WOULD HE KNOW ABOUT THEM? Matt...what the fudge muffins do u do with your spare time? o.0

**Me: MATT.**

**Matt: MISSEH.**

**Me: EXPLAIN YOURSELF.**

**Matt: I GET LONELY.**

**Me: OK, MOVING ON: kirabbit pointed out my failure to acknowledge poor minor characters, and it turned out to be a HILARIOUS error even I didn't think about (in Chapter 25, that is):**

**kirabbit: **Also, this is just me being a total idiot, but I can't help thinking that when Fee is threatening Near and a very awesome dramatic plot build up is occurring, Matt's just standing there. With a skirt on. Just...there. Still in a skirt.

**Matt: ...=3= *looks down* GODDAMMIT.**

**Me: LOL FUCK YEAH. Anyway, I don't know if there's a point in begging for forgiveness from you reviewers, but I'll still try: I'M SO SORRY. Please enjoy this chapter, where Fee's past is finally all out on the table :D**

**Mello: Misseh doesn't own Death Note or its characters. She does, however, own the OC, Fee.  
**

* * *

Twenty-Seven: Enter Fee

Fee knew she was not normal.

She had some sort of primitive, instinctual knowledge that lay deep within her mind that always would remind her of this. The Knowledge didn't tell her why "weird" to her was normal (and even preferred), she just knew that it was.

She knew she was Magnificently Magnificent, and that was how she liked it. As she once said, "Life is too short for explanations."

However, such irrationality and rebellion concealed within a single person meant opposing forces coming from all directions; demons that created the melancholy hidden behind Fee's Cheshire smile.

Throughout the course of her life, Fee had constantly battled demons; to be precise, three: her parents, Wammy's, and the very demons that lay within her tortured soul.

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_Blue hair fell in front of bright cerulean eyes that had barely opened to the sound of birds chirping in the morning. Fee stared at the familiar dust and scuff that covered the old floorboards that she woke up to each morning with distaste. The patter of heels from down the hall caused her to flail into a sitting position as her mother stumbled into the room with yet another customer in tow. _

_ A frustrated sigh came from the small six year-old girl as she watched her own mother swap spit with yet another perverted stranger right in front of her. Yanking off one of her boots, Fee tossed her shoe at the man's head with as much strength she could muster. The man yelped, quickly turning around with a look of intense rage etched on his expression, which turned then into confusion as his eyes flickered between Fee and her mother._

_"…You didn't mention having a kid," he mumbled, shuffling towards the girl sitting cross-legged, stern and stiff, on the floor._

_Pulling out a cigarette, Fee's mother glanced at Fee with indifference. "She's more of a problem to be dealt with," she replied hoarsely between puffs._

_The man smiled with a mouth full of rotten teeth. "So, girlie, how do ya feel about joining in on the fun upstairs, eh?" _

_"Well, how would you feel if I told you I had a dick, and it was bigger than the pencil you've got?" Fee snickered, giving a twisted smile right back. _

_The grossly perverted grin was immediately wiped off his face as he retreated backwards and up the stairs with his paid bedroom partner. _

_As soon as the dirty duo was out of sight, Fee tumbled forwards and made a grab for her missing boot; holding it affectionately. "I know, I'm sorry. But he deserved it," she cooed, as though to soothe it. Listening intently to ensure it was safe to make a move, Fee put on her boot and made a dash for the front door._

_Once outside, she ran around the broken down house and threw herself down, face first, into the pile of garbage bags in her messy backyard. Digging through the rubbish, she gasped once she found the small piece of treasure she was looking for: a miniscule, soggy piece of chalk._

_Running back towards the front of the house, Fee crouched down on the sidewalk and began to draw to her heart's content; letting the day go by without a care. She ignored the fact that her mother would come and go, each time coming back with yet another customer. All she cared about was picturesque scene of a happy family in front of a clean home, not the structure falling to shambles that she called "The House", that her hand wielding the chalk drew on the cracked concrete in front of her. _

_The sun was beginning to set when Fee first noticed the rusty Cadillac that pulled up in front of The House. The person inside honked the horn obnoxiously, jarring Fee out of her state of concentration. She glanced up, dropping her chalk as she watched a tall figure emerge from within the vehicle. Her bright eyes widened as the figure, now made out to be a man, let himself into the front yard by kicking through the weak chain link gate. _

_She knew exactly who he was just by looking at his face._

_Grabbing her harshly by the hair, he yanked her to her feet and held a long knife just inches away from the tip of her nose._

_"Nice to see you again, my dear, sweet Fiona."_

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_It was cold._

_Strapped to a chair, stripped from the waist up and bleeding from the wounds that spelled out "Hate" on her back, with the screams from the murder video playing repeatedly in front of her echoing throughout the empty room, the blue-haired girl was numb to almost everything except the cold. Bloodshot eyes looked around desperately, and, with the last bit of her strength, Fee pushed her heels against the floor in an attempt to move the chair, but only succeeded in tipping it over onto its side._

_Faced once again with the scuff and dust that covered the floorboards, Fee managed a weak smile. _

_"…Bye," she breathed out to the dust bunnies as her eyes fluttered closed; ignorant to the police squad that stormed into the room to her rescue. _

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_"Impossible. We can't accept her."_

_Roger's stern, wrinkled face was stone cold as he glanced back and forth between his old friend Watari and the bouncing blue-haired girl that had invaded his office. Watari shook his head and attempted to reason with him._

_"She passed the acceptance exam, and she is more than capable of learning. Plus, her talents in the arts are, though unorthodox, clearly evident. In fact, the police that found her said a simple drawing she had scrawled on the sidewalk was like nothing they had ever seen before."_

_Roger scrunched up his nose as he watched the girl pull up one of his office plants by the roots and waltz around the room with it. He sighed deeply, running a hand over his balding head._

_"Miss Fiona, would you come here, please?"_

_The girl ignored Roger's call and continued to prance around without a care._

_"Fiona?"_

_No response._

_"Miss Fiona!"_

_Finally, she turned her head to glare at the old head of Wammy's orphanage, snarling slightly. "Are you talking to me, old man?"_

_Roger nodded, grabbing her files from his desk to skim them over again. "Yes. That is your name, is it not?"_

_Twirling with the plant in her arms, she shrugged indifferently. "I think you've got the wrong person. I don't know who 'Fiona' is."_

_"But-"_

_Roger was interrupted by Watari's hand on his shoulder, motioning him to be silent. "Leave her be, Roger. She's most likely suffering from slight amnesia from the….trauma. It's her mind's way of protecting itself," he said quietly. _

_Roger glanced at the files in dismay. "B-But won't she eventually recall bits and pieces over time? She could have nightmares and flashbacks, and the stress from that could be far greater than just telling her everything now."_

_Watari took the files from Roger's hands and placed them on the table. "How about, instead of worrying about her past, you focus on creating a better future for her?" he stated, motioning for Roger to speak with the dancing girl. With a final troubled sigh, Roger walked towards her and placed a hand awkwardly atop her head, causing her to stand still in her place._

_"….So, young lady," he began. "I apologize for the confusion of identities. I would just like to welcome you to Wammy's Orphanage for Gifted Children. We'll take care of you here."_

_Cerulean eyes widened and sparkled with a sort of hidden delight. "…Okay."_

_Roger managed to grin himself, despite his slightly sour demeanor. "Good. But, while you're here, you'll need a name."_

_"Choose something as magnificent as yourself, dear," Watari added with a tip of his hat. _

_The girl nodded her head eagerly. "Oh, I like the sound of that! I want to be better than….what's the word again?"_  
_"Magnificent."_  
_"Right! I want to be…Magnificently Magnificent!"_

_Roger shook his head. "I-I'm not sure we can call you that. It's certainly original, but perhaps you could choose something more…simple, and easier on the tongue?"_

_Pouting, Miss Magnificently Magnificent crossed her arms in a huff. She took a moment to think before a Cheshire-like smile spread across her face. _

_"My name is Fee. Call me Fee the Magnificently Magnificent."_

_Roger nodded in approval. "Wonderful. From now onward, you are Fee. Now, why don't you go off to explore your new home?"_

_Fee, bursting with excitement, ran out the door and slammed it shut, not wasting a single second to begin her sort of "adventure"._

_"What shall we do about her files, then?" Watari murmured, lifting them off Roger's desk._

_Roger didn't hesitate with his response. "Burn them, of course. No one named 'Fiona' resides here. Only… 'Fee the Magnificently Magnificent.'"_

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_Perkiness._

_Almost too much perkiness, and perfection all-around: this was all Fee could see as she stared at the blonde, pigtailed girl who stood in front of her, smiling so hard it appeared to be painful._

_"Hi!" she said excitedly. "I'm Linda! Welcome to Wammy's!"_

_A small hand was held out for Fee to shake, but the blue-haired girl simply stared at it in confusion. Linda slowly put her hand back at her side, her smile wavering ever so slightly. Shaking the negative notion off, her pigtails bounced as she swiftly grabbed Fee by the arm and pulled her along._

_"What's your name? What's your talent? Do you like it here?" _

_Fee felt flustered as she was bombarded with so many questions at once. "I…uh, I'm Fee. I'm an artist, actually."_

_Linda came to an immediate halt, almost causing Fee to trip. "…Oh? Is that so? Well then….Can I see some of your work?" she intrigued, tilting her head to the side._

_Fee shook her head, sending wisps of hair flying over her eyes. "Oh, n-no, I don't have any work on me. But, if you want, I can draw something right now!"_

_Linda quirked a brow as she searched the pockets of her dress, handing Fee a sharpie in hesitation. "This is all I've got."_  
_"Good, it's all I need."_

_Fee quickly made her way to the nearest wall, taking off the sharpie cap with her teeth. Working swiftly but with a sort of gracious rhythm, Fee began to draw her newfound, pigtailed, and very first friend. _

_Once she was done, she took in a deep breathe of satisfaction and turned to Linda for approval. Linda felt as though she were looking in the mirror…and she hated it. Her eyebrows scrunched together and her lower lip stuck out in disgust, causing Fee to falter._

_"I-Is it that bad?" Fee said meekly. Linda, snapping out of her self-absorbed state, shook her head frantically._

_"Oh, no, it's actually decent! Even though your methods are a little weird, and your perspective is a bit off," Linda assured, putting her arm around Fee's shoulders. "I can tell, with both our passions for art, we'll get along just fine. I'm your new best friend, and you'll never be alone again. I promise!"_

_Fee's mouth was slightly agape with fascination. "B-Best….Friend?"_  
_"Yes! In fact, feel free to talk to me any time about your troubles. If you want, you can confide in me about your back-story. Friends are here to talk to, and I'll be sure to care for you!"_

_Wide, cerulean eyes stared without blinking. It was completely new to Fee: to be wanted._

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**_6 Months Later:_**

_The halls were emptier than usual on Fee's birthday._

_As she ran as fast as her small legs could carry her, however, she didn't notice this. She only focused on the instructions left to her on the small note in her pocket written by Linda. The tiniest smile graced her lips as she, breathlessly, finally arrived in front of the doors to the lunchroom. Pushing them open slowly, she was greeted by what appeared to be most of Wammy's younger crowd waiting for her._

_"….U-Uh, hi every-"_

_Fee was cut off by a hailstorm of balloons filled with paint being thrown at her. Caught off guard, Fee shrieked as she slipped in paint and fell flat on her back. She desperately attempted to protect herself by using her arms to cover her face, but it proved to be of no avail as, by the time the bombardment had stopped, she was drenched from head to toe._

_Her tears, turned rainbow from mixing with the slew of colors of paint on her, spilled from her eyes as she watched wordlessly while Linda stepped out from behind the crowd of children. _

_"…I hope you've learned from this," she said slowly. "No one here likes the horrid and cruel rumors you've been spreading about all of us. The worst part is that it comes from an outcast such as yourself."_

_Fee's jaw dropped. "But I never said anything! It….It was you, wasn't it? You've…You've turned all of Wammy's against me!"_

_Linda snorted, flipping back one of her pigtails over her shoulder. "Oh, please. Don't even try to wriggle yourself out of this one. You've lied enough."_

_With the flick of her wrist, she signaled for the crowd to exit the room, and the children quickly flooded out._

_Fee's expression was contorted with rage. "You're disgusting."_

_Linda could only smirk. "Say what you want, but it won't make a difference. You're weird and disliked by everyone around here, and, while you may be good, I'll make sure that I'll always be better."_

_With a gleeful spring in her step, Linda skipped towards the exit with her head held high._  
_"Oh, by the way, happy 7th birthday, Fee."_

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_"'Happy 7th birthday, Fee'", she hissed in mockery. "'Happy freaking birthday!"_

_As the anger boiled up inside her, she searched hungrily in a frenzy for something, anything to take her anger out on. She was fed up with broken promises of happiness wherever she went. _

_With the lack of valuables in her room, Fee dug into her pockets and sucked in her breathe when she pulled out a sharpie marker. She grimaced before nearly throwing herself down on the floor, as close as possible to the nearest corner of wall. Yanking off the cap, Fee violently smashed the tip of the sharpie against the wall, creating a black, inky explosion._

_Cerulean eyes flashed with fascination as she dragged the sharpie down along the wall; a sort of compromise was conceived between the thrashing, saddened heart inside her and her mind's softer desires._

_"…You may try to be 'better'", she said quietly. "But you'll never be Magnificent."_

_If Fee were ever going to prove that, the burden of such a thrashing, saddened heart would have to go._

_The Sadness was born._

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**_3 Months Later:_**

_A smile._

_The biggest, most amused yet most mischievous smile was exactly what Fee wore as she painted the perfect image of a bare butt on Linda's door. The halls of the orphanage were close to empty as most children were downstairs, gawking at the fresh meat (or, rather, new arrivals). Once she was done, much to her satisfaction, she wrote in black paint above her work:_

**_For you, dearest Butt-Face._**

_Her smile was wiped clean off her face when she felt a hand harshly clamp down on her shoulder, sending her head whipping around. Fee's eyes went wide as she stared up into the stern face of one of Wammy's maid outfit-clad nannies. _

_"Would you care to tell me what this is?"_  
_"….A product of spontaneity. You'd have some, too, if you weren't so stiff."_

_"I beg your pardon?" she cried, taking her hand off of Fee's shoulder to place it angrily on her hip. Once out of the nanny's stronghold, Fee took the opportunity to escape and sprinted off._

_"Wait! Get back here!" _

_The nanny's shouts only got weaker and weaker as Fee ran farther away; giggling as she slid down the handrail of the back exit's stairway and made it outside. She slowed down once she realized she was no longer being chased, but immediately searched the grounds for a hiding place. A pleased smile graced her lips as she spotted a bush near the corner of the orphanage._

_"Perfect."_

_Throwing herself into the shrub, Fee curled into a ball and sighed. Cerulean orbs fluttered closed as there was nothing but the sound of the wind blowing through the fallen leaves of autumn scattered on the ground._

_Suddenly, Fee's euphoria was shattered as a foreign object broke through her plant fortress and hit her in the knee._  
_"Ouch!" she cried, bringing her knee closer to her chest._

_"Y-You…you talked!" she heard a voice from the outside stutter. Fee peeked out from the bush in curiosity, and found her rude attacker to be a thin, red-headed boy. He stared, utterly bewildered, at Fee, who stared right back crossly._

_"I did not appreciate the kick, and neither did the bush."_  
_"S-Sorry for kicking you….I didn't know that these bushes were occupied by people."_

_Fee scoffed, rolling her eyes as she stood up from her stance within the bushes. "I don't live in a bush, dummy," she retorted, brushing herself off._

_Once again, the boy could only stare her up and down, and Fee began to get the impression that he was the most empty-headed person she had ever met. Fee cleared her throat, catching his attention once more._

_"If you're done judging my fashion sense, please go away so that I may go back to hiding in peace."_  
_"You're hiding in a bush? Why? From whom?"_  
_"You ask too many questions! If you'll excuse me, I have to go or I'm going to get caught by-"_

_Fee's fear became a reality as the familiar barking of orders from the nanny was heard from across the lawn. In a last-ditch attempt to save herself, she threw herself into the bushes, yet was still dragged away by her wrist. Turning back around, Fee caught a glimpse of the strange, empty-headed boy watching her go in what almost looked like despair._

_Quickly, in order to change his demeanor, Fee gave a shy wave goodbye. Almost immediately, he broke out in a huge smile and waved his arms excitedly to catch her attention._

_"W-Wait! You can call me Matt, by the way!" he shouted. Never had Fee seen such glowing positivity and almost naïve wonder wrapped up in a single, awkward person. What Fee saw in him was potential-the potential to be just as brilliant, magnificent, and weird as she was._

_It was the potential to be "Fee". _

_Suddenly, the former Fiona Blaise-Fee-was in a better mood._

And so it was from then onward.

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A knock on the door jolted Fee back into reality from daydreaming. Twirling around brought her eye to eye with Matt, his expression full of worry.

"You don't look so hot."  
"That's not what you said last night."  
"…But nothing happened last night."  
"As far as you know," she retorted, smirking deviously, to which Matt returned a lopsided smile.

"Look, tomorrow's the 28th, and we need to talk. Since there's no turning back now, I at least need to make sure you're prepared to move forward."

Fee crossed her arms. "Mentally, I'm what most would call 'unstable', but I can handle this goddamn confrontation. As for physical preparedness, you've seen firsthand the kind of shit I can do with a _spoon._ I can kick ass if I need to."

Matt reached out and unwound Fee's arms, moving to take both her hands in his. "I don't doubt that, but still, I don't know what could go wrong tomorrow, and as much as you like to claim you are 'all-knowing', you don't either."

Keeping his eyes locked on hers, Matt bit his lip as he pulled out a gun from his back pocket. Fee flinched away at the sight of it, but Matt's hand held hers firmly for reassurance.

"…T-This is yours. There's only one bullet, so it's more of a threat than an actual tool, though the threat should be enough for you to find time to get away…if needed, of course."

Fee shakily took the gun from his hand, scrunching her eyebrows together. "Matt, you do realize this is like giving heroin to junkie, right?"

Matt gave a dark chuckle in response. "Maybe so, but I know you… You wouldn't kill someone. Take it from me…It's not a very 'Fee' thing to do."

"No shit, Matt. It's just…I need to know that no matter what, you…you…"

Matt was caught off guard as Fee nearly dove into his chest for a warm embrace. The fabric of his shirt wrinkled under her grip as she held him. The two stood there in silence, but it was bliss.

"…You love me, right?" she whispered, so quietly Matt almost didn't hear. Immediately, the redhead pushed her away from him and held her by the shoulders, staring right into her eyes with an incredulous look.

"…Oh, no, I fucking hate you so much that I fed into your crazed nonsense at Wammy's, stayed loyal to you since, well, _forever_, was willing to die for you, made love to you in some shitty place in the middle of nowhere, and I now plan to spend the future doing more insane shit with you. Yes, I just fucking hate you _that_ much."

Fee blinked twice before she broke into the widest grin she swore she'd ever had; her cheeks red and eyes shining. "You could've said 'Yes' like a normal person, you know."

Matt leaned down and placed a kiss upon her rosy cheeks. "Yeah, _you're_ one to talk."

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Staring in the mirror wasn't the same for Fee anymore.

She glared at her reflection as though it were another person: one that looked like Fee, acted like Fee, but wasn't burdened by the reality that ate away at Fee.

Fee wanted to achieve that almost surreal happiness; she was sick of being held back all the time. All her life, she had constantly battled demons: she was cracked by one, broken by a second, and was constantly stopped from pulling herself back together by her internal third.

Now, she was faced with a fourth: one that stole her improving life away; one that stole the only form of a father figure she'd ever had; one that stole the life of one of her few best friends. She would give up everything before she let the only person she loved be taken away as well.

She refused to run anymore, nor would she dare be subdued.

Because now she had another option.

_"You wouldn't kill someone. Take it from me…It's not a very 'Fee' thing to do."_  
_"No shit, Matt…"_

In the trembling hands of the estranged blue-haired girl lay the gun with only one bullet. Glancing back towards her reflection, she snarled in scorn.

"You _hypocrite_."

* * *

"_Sometimes I wish for falling, wish for the release; wish for falling through the air to give me some relief. Because falling's not the problem; when I'm falling, I'm in peace. It's only when I hit the ground: It causes all the grief..."_-"Falling" by Florence and The Machine.

* * *

**A/N: OHOHOHOHOHHO. On a serious note, though, I'd like some constructive criticism on the last tidbit right there. I was having some trouble on how to convey it, and it'd really help :D**

**Mello: How about this: You suck.**

**Me: How about this: YOU'RE DEAD.**

**Matt: OHHHHHHHHHH BURNNNN.**

**Me: ALSO, ON A COMPLETELY UNRELATED NOTE: If any one of you reviewers watch A Very Potter Musical, and you've watched the sequel...MAMA UMBRIDGE LURVS YOU CHILLIN'. No seriously. Mention it in your review or SOMETHING, because it's my heroin right now and I have no one to obsess over it with x_x Thanks as always!  
**


	28. TwentyEight: Madmen

**Me: DA DADA DAAA~! I'VE RETURNED FROM THE DEAD!**

**Matt: I'M BACK AND I HAVE BROUGHT SEXY ALONG WITH ME~**

**Mello: I still hate you all.**

**Me: Oh please, Mello, this is a time for CELEBRATION! As promised, here's the new chapter, with a twist at the end :X **

**Matt: Is it like a lemony-twist in iced tea? I'm thirsty.**

**Me: No Matt...In fact you might not like it. KAY THANKS GOTTA GO BYE!**

**Matt: WHATWHAT NO YOU CAN'T DO THIS! UGH MissehKeehl does not own Death Note or its characters. She does own the OC, Fee. ENJOY!**

**Mello: Why am I even here. I'm dead.**

**Light: LOL YOU'RE WELCOME.**

**Mello: 8( FUCK YOU IN THE ASS.  
**

* * *

Twenty-Eight: Madmen

_Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh._

To the SPK and Matt, tension was running high. The rain outside of the Yellow Box was refusing to let up and it only added to the dark mood of the scene. Near breathed a deep sigh.

"We're early. If everything goes according to plan, Kira's arrival should attract the right kinds of people that will bring forth his own demise."

"What do you mean, 'attract'? Are you saying followers are going to start showing up?" Matt inquired, his eyes slowly wandering towards Fee.

"Something along those lines. We played our cards right, so today we'll be taking out two birds with one stone…two Kiras in one meeting."

_Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh._

While Near warned his fellow SPK members of the events about to unfold, Fee tuned him out and became entranced by the ceiling fan, the only thing present aside from Near breaking the total silence of the warehouse. It wasn't the fan itself that made her so intrigued, however. It was what she thought she saw was behind it.

Tilting her head to the side, she blinked her cerulean eyes twice to make sure what she was seeing was real. Through the slits of the fan she saw a pair of bright, wide eyes that blinked right back at her. A chill ran down her spine; the presence of the thing felt other-worldly. But for some reason, she was not afraid. It felt…familiar.

The sound of the door to the warehouse slamming closed jarred Fee back to reality. She tiptoed in Matt's direction as she silently watched the opposing side file into the room: the members of the Japanese Task Force. Last to file in was a clean-cut, confident man in an expensive looking suit. His aura should have screamed success and dignity, but Fee felt something else. Near must have known something as well, since now he was wearing a mask as to hide his face.

Peering out of the corners of her eyes, she noticed the bright gaze from those haunting pair of eyes had disappeared from its perch from behind the fan. Looking back forward, however, she gasped as the eyes had taken the form of a hideous monster with wings. It stared directly at her with a grin full of sharp, misshapen teeth. Fee tried to keep her calm, seeing as no one else was reacting the same way.

_Am I the only one who can see it? T-That must be another shinigami…but I touched a Death Note so long ago, back when Matt and I were still in the mafia. Could this be Kira's shinigami?_

Fee's eyes narrowed as the puzzle pieces fell into place in her head. The shinigami stood proudly right beside the man oozing confidence. She had no doubt that was the man who'd been the drive behind all her recent suffering.

_Kira_, she thought bitterly, her hand patting the gun hidden in her back pocket. _You're mine._

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After thirty minutes of stillness passed, Near finally removed his mask-something that proved to be satisfying to the man in the expensive suit.

"What's wrong, Near?" the brunette man smirked. "Are you still waiting for something?"

Fee felt like she wanted to vomit just by listening to the sound of his voice. That, or she wanted to hit him as hard as she could in the face.

"Yes, for the one who will solve everything once and for all. He should be here shortly," the albino replied curtly, toying with a line of dolls on the floor.

"And who would that be?" cried a Task Force member.

"X-Kira, who, up until now, has been doing Kira's dirty work by using the Death Note and his shinigami eyes which allow him to see the names of his victim. He'll write down the names of all the people he sees here to try and kill them for his 'God'. In fact, he's already here."

Fee and everyone else in the room became absolutely rigid with the realization that their lives could end in the next matter of seconds. Matt made a grab for Fee's hand and held it tightly, squeezing his own eyes shut. Fee was about to do the same when she noticed Near's ability to hold his composure.

_He knows something. Even a sheep with the emotional capacity of a brick would fear for his life unless he knew that there was no reason to._

As if to reassure her, Near smirk and addressed the group. "Everything is fine. You won't die because I've modified the notebook pages based on X-Kira's killing patterns. On the outside of that door," Near explained, pointing to a side entrance. "Is X-Kira. In 40 seconds he's bound to check if we're dead; then, we will apprehend him. Whoever's name is not written down in that notebook must be Kira."

Fee would've shared this moment of smugness along with Near if it wasn't for the smile that she noticed from that same sharp man across the room. _Something…is wrong._ Glancing at her back pocket, she hesitated. _Is now the time?_

"You there, outside. Have you finished writing the names?" the brunette asked of him coolly.  
"…Y-Yes, I've written them."

"Teru Mikami," Near called. "Won't you come in and join us?"

A man of both unstable footwork and mentality stumbled into the room wearing a grin full of sick pleasure.

"How long has it been since you've written down the last name?"

Mikami began to happily count down the time. "30 seconds…31...32...33...34...35...36...37...38...39!"

Fee's eyes went wide as the well-dressed brunette held his chin high . "Well Near,_ looks like I win_."  
"40!"

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_Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh._

The same creaking noise made by the ceiling fan that Fee heard 30 seconds after she was supposed to be dead let her know Kira had failed. She opened her eyes cautiously, looking around the room. Teru Mikami looked betrayed, his 'God' appearing completely flabbergasted.

"B-But…why won't they die! God,_ I did everything you told me!_"

At Near's command, Mikami was taken into custody by Gevanni and Rester; his notebook was brought over to him. Opening to a select page, Near almost grinned as she depicted just what he predicted. "I can confirm that the first row of names are definetly the real names of the SPK members and the guests. The next four are those of the Task Force. The only name not written down is…Light Yagami. On top of everything, Mikami addressed you as 'God', so it's settled. You are Kira."

Light's cool composure finally shattered as he screamed out in denial. "No! This whole thing is a trap! _It's part of Near's plan to frame me!_" Looking at Mikami, Light's lip curled in disgust. "T-This is a setup! I don't know this guy!"

Light ran in dismay from members of his own Task Force attempting to handcuff him until he leaned onto a wall for support, overwhelmed by his defeat.

"It's over. You were close to winning, but now you've lost the game," Near stated flatly. "We did as you expected us to and altered the fake notebook in Mikami's possession, but only part of it. As for the "real one", we replaced the entire thing."

Near pulled out a sleek, black notebook from under his shirt. "This in my possession is the true Death Note…meaning I have also been able to see the shinigami present the entire time."

Fee took a quick breath after realizing she was not the only one. After Near conversed with the shinigami, named Ryuk, about the possibility of killing someone with just a piece of the death note, Near became solemn.

"Much of this was all thanks to Mello. Allow me to explain. Take a look at this."

Near held up Mikami's notebook and flipped to a previous page, pointing at the first name written: "Kiyomi Takada". Fee grinned subconsciously as Matt gripped her hand more tightly. _See, Willy? I guess you did kind of beat Near in the end._

Mikami looked completely guilty as he stammered in his explanation. "G-God, you told me you couldn't move freely. I h-had to make sure T-Takada was taken care of. Wasn't that my duty to-"

"You _idiot_! You had strict orders to make no big movements until today!" Light scolded. Near smirked, placing his hand on his bent knee and resting his cheek on top of it. "Let's see how you talk yourself out of this one."

At first Fee thought the fan was acting up again, but what she heard was in fact a low chuckling. Light's shoulders shook from his unnatural laughter until it exploded into a maniacal fit. He threw his head back and his eyes almost seemed aglow with pure inner evil.

"That's right…_I am Kira_."

Lolling his head to the side, he smirked. "And? What will you do about it? Kill me right here? Hear this: I am not only Kira, but also…_God of the New World!"_

Turning on his heels, he took a wide stance, facing the ceiling as though he was speaking to the heavens. "Kira has become law, the one maintaining order in this new world. I am _justice_; the only hope for the future of mankind. In this world full of rotten people, pain, and suffering, I must be the one to wipe the earth clean of delinquents, crime, and wrongdoing in order to have peace!"

His eyes bulged suddenly, pupils dilating. "_I had to do it! This world had to be fixed! Who else could have made it this far?_"

_"You fool!"_

Unable to take it anymore, Fee stepped forward. Matt held her arm in an almost crushing grip, trying to hold her back, but she refused.

"You're nothing but a mass murderer who uses that damned notebook as both a weapon and a shield. You're a _coward_ who has confused himself with a God, when a God would never abuse his power to selectively kill his creations and gain power through inducing universal _fear_. Once you're gone, people will only remember you as a crazy serial killer. _Nothing more_."

Light frowned, his eyes still wide, but now with rage. "No one else could have done this. I was the only one capable. I was _destined_."

"If you were so destined, why are you here now, cornered like the filthy, fucking rat you are?" Fee seethed, her hand drawing towards her pocket.

"Am I so cornered?" he blurted, causing Fee's hand to stop short. Her eyes narrowed.

"Tell me Near," Light said, now addressing the albino running the show. Here's some food for thought: Those notebooks you have, are they both…real?"

Fee scowled. Is he trying to bluff at a time like this? I should end his sorry life now.

"At the moment only I know which notebook is real," he continued. "The only way for you to make sure is two write down my name or Mikami's."

Light's hand drew towards his watch as he clicked a button three times.

"It's the only way to tell if it's real…_or fake_!"

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Everything was a blur, as though Fee was watching unfold but she wasn't actually there.

Bullets flew through the air and hit Light who tossed and turned like a rag doll, unable to write the names of those present on a piece of the notebook hidden in his watch like he so desired. At one point the even tried to write in his own blood, but it was of no avail. There were screams of pain, fear, and sadness, but Fee couldn't even tell who it was from. Matt shook her shoulders, yet she couldn't move. She looked at her hands and stared at the gun with the single bullet that was in them-unfired.

_I…I couldn't even shoot. I couldn't even-_

"I'll kill him!_ He has to die_!"

Fee came back to reality as she watched the Task Force member responsible for the shooting land another bullet into the floor, inches away from Light's head. His fellow companions held him back and dragged him away in tears as he mumbled incessantly to himself. Light rolled around on the floor like a helpless animal, calling out the names of those he used and betrayed in vain.

Fee felt almost numb, but she was still aware of the hug Matt gave her from behind. His hand landed on top of hers as to lower the gun and calm her down. She was about to let down her guard when a screech from Mikami caught her attention. She gaped in horror as Mikami stabbed himself with his fountain pain and gushed blood everywhere in a painful and brutal suicide. Matt turned Fee away from it all-from Light, from Mikami, from all that confused and hurt her.

Near joined the duo as his SPK underlings took to Mikami. "It's over. We've won."

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Light's breathing was uneven, his vision was blurry, and his body was engulfed in a fiery pain. But he knew something was certain: so long as he was alive, he had to get as far away as possible. Glancing back, he noticed everyone was far too distracted to observe as he picked up Matsuda's gun from the floor and stumbled towards the exit. With all his might, he threw the door open, but made a final act of revenge. Aiming the gun, he pointed at the small group with Near, a redhead, and the blue-haired girl who dared to defy him.

_How sweet it would be, to kill you all before I pass, but I've only enough strength to destroy the one whom I detest most. Goodbye, Near._

Light felt his knees caving under him, and his hand trembled too much to take proper aim. His vision blurred when he finally pulled the trigger, the bang reverberating off the warehouse walls. Dropping the gun, Light ran for his life from the Yellow Box.

Suddenly, the entire warehouse was aware of his escape. "He's getting away! Get him!" shouted the Task Force members who ran after him.

But all this wasn't important.

Fee didn't care what happened to Light, or what would happen to everyone else. Time around her stopped.

All she cared about now was the smiling, sweet boy she loved with all her being in front of her…who was bleeding from his right side. As he noticed Fee's pale, sickened expression, Matt looked to his wound and took a short breath, stumbling forward. Near's face went blank, unsure of what to do.

"…Ah…_.AAAAGH_!" Fee screamed in utter agony, tears running down her cheeks. She tried to hold him up, but her arms went limp and he fell weakly to the floor. Collapsing onto her knees, Fee tenderly held his head in one of her arms as she pressed against his wounded side with her free hand, rocking back and forth. His eyes fluttered close as he breathed her in a last time before losing consciousness.

"…F-Fee…," he whispered, then fell silent.

"…_No_! _Matt come back!_" Fee screeched in desperation. Memories of their childhood, their awkwardly blooming love during adolescence, and their strange romance until recent came flooding back to her; one in particular struck a chord.

_Matt turned around in the small bed they shared at the SPK to face her. "….Do you ever think about what's going to happen once this mess is all over?" he asked shyly._  
_"Do you?" she replied back._

_"All the time," he said, quickly regretting his immediate and almost desperate-sounding answer. Fee felt a tightening of her chest as pangs of guilt made it difficult to breathe._

_"….Listen up," she said suddenly after a few moments of silence. "Once all this is over, I'm going to rob Near, buy a big-ass house, and paint the interior and exterior myself. I'll get you enough video games to last you a lifetime, and enough cigarettes to keep the edge off, as much as I hate them. We'll get away from everything, and live somewhere secluded, like….the desert, or something. It's a promise," she said with determination, wrapping her arms around him._

_Matt smiled, embracing her back while running his fingers through her hair. "I want to grow old with you; make up for the life we lost to this shit. You're all I've got and I want to keep it like that….forever."_

_"…forever"_

**_"…forever."_**

Fee's bottom lip trembled uncontrollably. She had nothing now. No past, no future. Fee the Magnificently Magnificent was no more.

"…N-No more," she murmured, slowly standing up. Her hands trembled uncontrollably as she pulled out the gun from her back pocket and uneasily held it near her temple. Without hesitation, she pulled the trigger.

As everything became black, Fee finally became engulfed by the Sadness she had tried fighting for so long.

* * *

"_To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die...To die by your side, well the pleasure, the privilege is mine..."_ - "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" by The Smiths.

* * *

**Me: THIS. IS NOT. THE END. It's just a cliffhanger. And a very big one. You will probably all hate me, because the supposed resolution in the next chapter is still a bit cliffhanger-y, BUT IT WILL MAKE IT GOOD. I PROMISE. I hope ^^' LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THOUGHT~ As always, I love each and every one of my reviewers. Thanks to you, I am what I am, and I write with the same passion. COOKIES FOR ALL. **


	29. TwentyNine: Rebirth

**Me: 'SUP YOU GUYS. LOOK, ANOTHER CHAPTER THAT PROVES I AM STILL NOT DEAD :D  
**

**Matt: She's moved up in the world to be a zombie now. Y'know, just chillin' with Michael Jackson...and Mello.  
**

**Mello: Again, I don't see my point in being here, since I died like TEN CHAPTERS AGO.  
**

**Me: IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO. And you live with me so you do as I command. LIKE FEATURING REVIEWS FOR ME. Here's the "best":  
**

**kao-dreams:** WHAT. WAS. THAT.

**Me: INCEPTION. I FUCKS WITH YO MIND *waggles arms* As well as with Mello *waggles eyebrows*  
**

**Mello: That is not amusing. RAPE OF ANIME CHARACTERS IS NO LAUGHING MATTER.  
**

**Me: YOU KNOW YOU LIKE IT.  
**

**Matt: Misseh does not own Death Note or it's characters, but she does own the OC, Fee :D  
**

**Mello: I swear when they develop the technology for death rays...ONE DAY.  
**

* * *

Twenty-Nine: Rebirth

_The blinding white light that greeted a groggy Matt made him wish he had never opened his eyes. _

_He groaned as he tried to become more aware of his surroundings. As he attempted to sit up, a sharp pain radiating from his right side made him flop back down again on what felt like a soft mattress._

_"Wh…Where am…"_  
_"Good morning, Sunshine."_

_Slowly, Matt turned his head and tried to focus his blurry vision to someone in the room with him. Once he could see clearly, he frowned at the presence of a familiar albino with a doctor standing beside him._

_"I don't suggest trying to move around too much. Your stitches will come out," Near said in his regular monotone, lacking empathy for Matt's condition. The redhead blinked twice before his eyes widened in realization._

_"Fee…**F-Fee! Where is she?**" he said, his voice strained in panic. Near opened his mouth to tell him to calm down, but Matt was already halfway out of the hospital bed. Ignoring the pain, he took off, running aimlessly around the intensive care unit. He opened the doors to each room carelessly, searching for Fee while simultaneously escaping from Near and a line of his personally hired nurses who attempted to sit him down. _

_In the very last room of the I.C.U., Matt finally found what he was looking for and stopped short._

_"Matt," Near began tentatively. "There's something I must tell you fir-"_  
_"Shut up," he said in a hushed tone, watching the scene before him from the doorway in slight shock._

_Fee sat calmly on a soft hospital bed, her eyes staring far into the distance. Nurses spoke to her as they checked the monitors she was hooked up to, but it seemed as though she was too distracted to listen. Her frazzled blue hair was hidden under heavy bandages that were wrapped securely around her head. Every so often she would play with her thumbs, her bright cerulean orbs shining with a kind of strange naivety._

_**What…happened to her?** he thought, his stomach sinking. _

_Once Matt found the strength to move his legs, he sprinted towards her and embraced her tightly. To feel her warmth-her actual presence-was euphoric for the boy who thought he'd lost his life and the only person in it that held any meaning. _

_However, his heart nearly stopped when he felt a pair of small hands suddenly shove him off her. He stared blankly at Fee, who glared crossly right back at him. _

_Placing her hands dramatically on her hips, she huffed. "Excuse me, but just **who** the **fuck** are **you**?"_

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

_It was hours before Matt had calmed down enough to hold a conversation._

_He sat curled into himself against the corner of his own hospital room with Near sitting calmly close by, struggling to control his breathing. His eyes were rimmed red from sobbing until he had no tears left. The contents of his room were strewn about on the floor from his emotional outbreak._

_"…How long?" he asked quietly, his voice cracking. "How long was I unconscious for?"_  
_"Three days," Near replied curtly. "Miss Fee has been awake for two, including today; long enough for us to fully assess her condition. I tried to tell-"_

_"Then tell me. Tell me what the hell is going on," Matt seethed, his jaw clenching. Near sighed deeply, motioning for the doctor standing safely by the doorway to come inside. The doctor straightened up his long, white coat before clearing his throat and pulling out some x-rays from a manila envelope. _

_"Though you may not be aware of this, Matt, your friend attempted suicide by shooting herself," he said softly, pausing after he said this to give Matt time to soak in the information. The redhead's hands clenched into fists, but he kept silent. Clearing his throat once more, the doctor continued, now pointing to certain areas on the scans._

_"She was lucky that her aim was poor. The model of the gun uses small bullets, and her shaky hand created the situation where the bullet entered her skull on a sharp diagonal and lodged, fully intact, within the bone. We were able to remove it successfully."_

_The doctor's tone suddenly lowered. "However…due to the circumstances…she has developed a case of amnesia due to post-dramatic stress. Though difficultly, we've managed to interview her and gather as much information about what she knows as we can. She has retained all her personal traits, and most of her long-term memory. However, when Near specifically asked her about yourself, she couldn't recall a thing."_

_Matt's eyes widened, his expression now a mixture of anger, distress, and pain. "W-Why? Why can't she remember me?"_

_The doctor sighed, straightening up his coat once again. "That was something my team and I wondered ourselves. After some more digging into her past, we discovered that she seems to have a more vivid recollection of memories she wasn't able to remember clearly before the shooting-painful memories of her childhood. You both attended the same orphanage for gifted children, correct?"_

_Matt nodded slowly, his train of thought completely wrecked by this overwhelming revelation._

_"She seems to remember everything up until 9 months of her life at the orphanage…which should be around the time she met you, correct?"_

_Memories of their first encounter came flooding back to him. His fingertips became ice cold and the color drained from his face, leaving Matt nearly as pale as Near._

_"It must have been around that time that she fully accepted 'Fee', as Near has told me her name was, to be her true identity. Now, however, it seems that she has reverted back into the person she was before that time. This has happened to her before. By assuming different identities, her brain essentially 'protects itself' from memories that are too painful or traumatic. The possibility of your death was so crushing that her brain tried to forget any memory regarding you in order to shield her from suffering in the aftermath."_

_The doctor's brows furrowed in concern as Matt stared intently at the floor, his body shivering slightly. _  
_"B-But," he quickly added. "The ease with which her brain manipulates her memories means that this is not permanent. With effort and much patience, you may be able to remind her of who you are by reenacting memories of great significance."_

_Matt's eyes slowly wandered upward until his piercing stare was directed at Near, who sat in his normal position while twirling his hair carelessly._

_"…What's her real name?" he said in a low tone. "She reverted back to who she was before. Who is she now?"_

_Near stopped twirling his hair and slowly set his hand down on his knee. "Fiona Blaise." _  
_Matt leaned against the wall for support as he stood up. He shuffled slowly towards the last room in the I.C.U., his mind in a daze. Near followed from a safe distance behind him._

_Cautiously, Matt opened the doors to her room, but took a quick intake of breathe once he saw no one but nurses in the room. He threw the doors open and stormed into the room, the veins in his neck popping out as his face became completely distraught._

_"Where is she? **Where the fuck is Fee**?" he yelled. The nurses stared with completely confused expressions as him, slowly backing away. _

_"**Fee**!"_

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

"Two years ago, the same date as today."

Near peered upwards from behind a tower of cards he was building. The amount of free time he had acquired since Kira was brought down left him bored to death. "Excuse me?"

Matt spun around in his chair at his desk at the SPK. He propped his feet up and leaned back comfortably. "That was when Fee disappeared. Today marks the second year. And I still haven't made any fucking progress…"

Near turned his attention back towards the card tower. "She's been surprisingly mobile. My agents that I have stationed all over have sighted her at least once, but she vanishes before there's time to arrive there. So far we've recorded her being in Japan, the United States, Germany, France…"

Matt smiled a bit. "She was never one to really stay put. She must be trying to find herself…But it's frustrating."

Near opened his mouth to reply when Halle rushed into the room, interrupting him. "N-Near, there's a call on line 4."  
"Put it on hold."  
She shook her head, sending wisps of blonde hair flying into her face. "It's urgent."

With an exasperated sigh, Near picked up a remote near him and pressed a small red button, turning on a speaker phone that could be heard by all in the room.

"This is N."  
"Near…It's been a long time."

Matt nearly fell out of his chair after immediately recognizing the voice. "R-Roger? You're alive? I-I mean… you're alive!"  
"Is that you, Matthew? Still as rude as ever, I see. I'm not that old, you miscreant."

"What's your purpose for contacting me so suddenly?" Near interrupted, lolling his head to the side. Roger paused for a moment on the other line, taking in a breathe.

"I would have called you sooner, but I wanted to make certain that this stay was going to be permanent," he murmured. "It would seem that we have a very important visitor here."

Matt's fingertips went cold as his eyes widened with familiar realization. "…Y-You don't mean-"  
"Perhaps it's time you two come back for a stay at Wammy's," Roger stated.

Matt straightened his posture as he looked at Near with determination. "Near. You know what this means."  
The albino sighed heavily for the umpteenth time. "Unfortunately, yes."  
Matt made a fist and pounded his chest. "We're going to England…to Wammy's."

_Back to where it all began..._

* * *

"_You treat me just like another stranger. Well, it's nice to meet you sir, I guess I'll go, I best be on my way out. Ignorance is your new best friend..."_ - "Ignorance" by Paramore.


End file.
